To: All Faculty & All Academic Professionals & All Civil Service Staff &
           All Grad Students <everybody@illinois.edu> 
    From: "William Brustein" <ips@uiuc.edu>

Reply-To: ips@uiuc.edu
 Subject: MASSMAIL - Security Announcement regarding Pakistan

Dear Colleagues,

I write to inform you of the position of the University of Illinois on the
current situation in Pakistan.  As you may know, Pakistan has experienced
sporadic violence and instability for several years.  Pakistan has been
under a U.S. State Department Warning for two years, the most recent of
which was updated in September, 2007.  Over the past six months or so, the
situation in Pakistan has worsened considerably.  Most recently, after
multiple, horrific bombings upon the return of former Prime Minister
Benazir Bhutto, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf declared a state of
emergency and suspended the constitution.  

It is our opinion that conditions are no longer secure or stable enough to
allow for the safety and well-being of our faculty, staff or students in
Pakistan.  As such, I am saddened to announce the suspension of all
University of Illinois sponsored activities in Pakistan which require our
people to be in-country.  No new grants or initiatives which involve
Illinois faculty, staff, students or individuals otherwise affiliated with
the university will be approved or authorized.  Existing initiatives should
be suspended and individuals currently in Pakistan should be strongly
encouraged to return home.  

Faculty, staff, or otherwise affiliated individuals who insist on traveling
to or remaining in Pakistan must acknowledge that they are doing so without
the approval of the University of Illinois, as well as accepting the risks
to their person that are posed by traveling to or remaining in Pakistan. 
These individuals must contact the Office of the Associate Provost for
International Affairs in advance of any travel to Pakistan, or if they have
decided to remain in country.

This decision is a difficult one for me to take and I regret that the
situation on the ground in Pakistan makes it necessary.  However, the
safety and security of our faculty, staff and students must always come
first.  We hope that the situation improves quickly and that activities can
be resumed at an early future date.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of the Associate
Provost for International Affairs.

Kindest regards,
William I. Brustein
Associate Provost for International Affairs
This mailing approved by:
The Office of the Provost & Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

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