For many Libyan students living on WSU’s campus, May 31, is fast-approaching. If their frozen funds are not made available by then, or their rent payments deferred, these students may not have a place to live.
In the last update from the Canadian Bureau for International Education, Libyan students were notified that their health insurance would be covered for the month of June but not their living allowance, which will end on May 31, 2011, leaving many students without money to cover their rent.
Mohamed Elcataani, a graduate student in the College of Education, and Khalid S M, Sr Einshadi, a physics and astronomy graduate student, have been working to defer housing payments for Libyan students living on campus, with limited success. “We came here planning to study, get degrees and get back to Libya… we’re proud to be WSU students,” Elcataani said. “(WSU is) not going to lose money, (it’s) going to lose Libyan students.” During the last few months, Libyan students have battled to keep their educations funded after their accounts were frozen following conflicts in Libya. During the financial freeze, citizens of Pullman and its surrounding communities have been collecting food and offering their homes to the students in need.
“The main issue here is the housing issue, which is really difficult for the community in Pullman to take care of.” Elcataani said. “That’s why we are focusing on the university.” If WSU could waive or defer rent for June and July, Libyan students living in WSU housing would have enough time for their frozen funds to be available, he said.
“We need help from the school,” Elcataani said. “We have been paying the bills the last three years without any delay, but now we are in crisis.” In response to the housing crisis, WSU Provost and Executive Vice President Warwick Bayly sent a letter to Libyan students on campus. The letter contained devastating and disappointing information, Elcataani said. “The letter was urging us to leave the housing by the end of this month if you don’t have money,” he said.
Students able to pay for tuition, fees, insurance and other monthly expenses out-of-pocket were encouraged to continue their academic programs at WSU, the letter said.
“WSU is not able to provide stipends, tuition scholarships, free or deferred rent or health insurance to students and families who had previously been receiving through the Canadian Bureau for International Education,” the letter from Provost Bayly said. Those who are not able to pay their expenses were encouraged to change the status of their immigration visas, which are currently valid until this fall, and leave the country, Elcataani said.
“It gives us the indication that there is no help and that it is not just that there is no help, but that (WSU is) kicking us out,” Elcataani said. Elcataani and Einshadi had a meeting with the Graduate and Professional Student Association on Friday, May 20, to discuss the housing dilemma.
After hearing the students’ presentation, the president and vice president of the GPSA decided to go to the Dean of Graduate students to present and discuss the problem.
Despite their efforts on campus to amend the housing crisis, nothing has been accomplished, Elcataani said. Community members have been offering their homes, but, at this time, it is not a practical solution, he said. “The solution we are looking for are for the whole families,” Einshadi said. Elcataani and Einsadi both agree that the community can only help a few families while WSU can help all Libyan students.
“We heard from Libyan students in other states that their universities are supporting them moving the fees,” Einsadi said. In fact, universities from around the country have been helping their Libyan students, he said.
“Universities in Oregon, Dayton University and Ohio State University have delayed tuition for the summer as well as for the fall,” Elcataani said. “We did not ask WSU to do so concerning the tuition. We talked about the housing and food drive, which is an absolutely humiliating situation for the Libyan students.” In addition to support from many of the nation’s universities, Libyan students countrywide received a letter from the American Council on Education. The letter was also addressed to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Treasury. It asked for the government’s support of Libyan students in America. “The presence of international students in our colleges and universities adds much to campus learning communities,” Molly Broad of the ACE wrote. “In light of the uncertain and potentially dangerous situation in their home country, we ask that (the departments of government) move expeditiously to provide assistance to these students and their families in this difficult time.”
The letter also applauded the Obama administration’s push to free Libyan accounts for humanitarian purposes. Though students do not have great support from the university, they do have support from the WSU faculty, Elcataani and Einsadi said. Many faculty members in the Department of Teaching and Learning as well as others have given emotional and logistical support for students that require housing, they said.
Elcataani said the Libyan students at WSU appreciate the supporting efforts of Pullman and its surrounding communities. However, WSU needs to help Libyan students and may indeed hold the only solution to their dilemma, he said.