Yu Family Granted Visas

With the approval of their travel visas, the parents of Minghui Yu, the 24-year-old graduate student killed tragically Friday evening, are now set to fly from China to New York this weekend as Columbia students and administrators begin to plan their son’s memorial service.

Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced Wednesday that two days after submitting a request to the State Department for accelerated approval of the Yu family’s visas, he is pleased with the expeditious result. Although the process, according to Schumer spokesman Josh Vlasto, can often take weeks or even months, the Yus’ approval was granted shortly after their application interview Tuesday at 2 p.m. Beijing local time.

“This case broke all of our hearts and brought the Columbia University community and the city together,” Schumer said in a press release. “The State Department did exactly the right thing and Minghui Yu’s [family]can now come to New York and grieve with his friends and classmates. I was proud to be a part of this process, pleased it worked out, and will continue to monitor the situation to ensure everything goes smoothly for a family that has already suffered far too much.”

“Everybody did a good job,” Vlasto added.

University officials are now looking ahead to plan for Yu’s memorial service, which, according to friend and Columbia University Chinese Students and Scholars Executive Vice President Junhua Shen, GSAS ’09, is tentatively scheduled for April 17.

Members of the CUCSSA met Tuesday with University officials—including Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dean Henry Pinkham—to discuss plans for the ceremony, but nothing will be finalized until approved by the Yus, Shen explained.

“Right now everything is all preliminary because the parents have the final say,” he said.

So far, Columbia administrators have committed to supporting the Yu family “in all aspects of travel and accommodations,” according to Columbia spokesman Robert Hornsby, and the University will also help sort out their son’s personal affairs.
“We are relieved that the family of Minghui Yu will be arriving in New York soon,” Hornsby said in a statement.

The rest of the decisions to be made regarding the Yu family are still only in early phases of dialogue, but CUCSSA has made numerous suggestions to Columbia officials for the memorial. Shen said that they hope it will take place at noon at Low Plaza, with big photographs of Yu, lots of flowers and candles, and songs he once loved.

CUCSSA has asked President Bollinger to speak, as well as other members of the University, New York’s Consulate General of China, and friends. The group has also raised ideas about lowering the University flag and bringing out large screens for the ceremony. But, Shen said, these are only possibilities, since the family might prefer to hold the service indoors.

Once the Yus arrive on campus, which is expected to happen around Saturday or Sunday, Columbia officials and CUCSSA representatives will meet with them to express their condolences and finalize memorial plans.

betsy.morais@columbiaspectator.com