Whereas the faculty of the department of English are committed to making the university a just and inclusive community,

Whereas President Barchi has publicly declared, on December 8, 2016, that “Rutgers is, and will always be, a sanctuary,” committing to protecting the rights of undocumented students by refusing record-sharing and physical access to federal immigration enforcement except as required by court order, warrant, or subpoena,

 

Whereas the report of the Committee on Enslaved and Disenfranchised Populations in Rutgers History has shown that Rutgers must rectify its historic wrongs,

Whereas, lest future generations find more wrongs committed in our own historical moment, this 250th anniversary of the university demands a shared affirmation of our commitment to justice for all the diverse peoples of our university,

Whereas the days since the election have seen what the Southern Poverty Law Center calls a “national outbreak of hate,” with almost 900 reported incidents of harrassment and intimidation, many of them in schools and on campuses, targeting African Americans, Muslims, immigrants, members of the LGBT community, women, Jews and others,

Whereas President-elect Trump has vowed to repeal DACA, which is of great importance to undocumented students across the country, and without which undocumented Rutgers students who have excelled in and outside of the classroom will be denied the opportunity to continue their studies and complete their degrees,

BE IT RESOLVED, the faculty of the department of English endorses the resolution “condemning violence and hate, with a call to action” by the New Brunswick Faculty Council dated November 15, 2016,

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the faculty of the department of English expresses its continuing solidarity with the national Sanctuary Campus movement,

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the faculty of the department of English commends President Barchi’s commitment to creating a sanctuary that protects all students regardless of immigration status, and calls upon President Barchi and Chancellor Edwards to make this commitment concrete by taking the following measures without delay:

  1. assigning an administrative office the responsibility for counseling DACA students on their educational situations, and advertising that DACA student counseling services are available on a strictly confidential basis;

  2. establishing a fellowship fund to support undocumented students, particularly those whose work authorization is altered through circumstances beyond their control;

  3. investing in faculty and staff training to support undocumented students;

  4. ensuring that campus offices responsible for addressing complaints of bias and harassment (a) respond to such complaints effectively and without delay, and (b) report to the administration on any increases in complaints;

  5. affirming publicly and vigorously that people belonging to groups targeted by acts of hate, including people of color, Muslims, LGBT people, immigrants, women, Jews, and others, are vital members of the Rutgers community and that the administration is committed to ensuring their safety and their right to a campus free of intimidation and violence.

Resolution adopted unanimously, December 15, 2016.