Supporting Our Students
Dec. 15, 2016
Dear Students, Faculty, Classified Professionals and Administrators,
As the fall quarter ends, I want to extend a personal wish to each of you for an excellent holiday, with the hope that you get some rest after the rigors of finals, and enjoy time with your family and friends.
Beyond holiday greetings, it must be said: It has been an unsettling quarter for many of us in the aftermath of the presidential election. There is widespread uncertainty, and concern, about what the new administration will bring.
I want to reassure all students without documentation that we support you, and will provide assistance to you. I also want to assure all students that the college will never participate in efforts to establish “registries” based on religion or any other attribute.
In order for undocumented students to have access to resources while school is not in session, we have developed a comprehensive webpage, linked from our home page and which you can view here: www.deanza.edu/students/undoc-students.html
Beginning next quarter, we will host public meetings on immigrant rights and resources, and bring legal representatives to campus to provide individual consultations. Nationally recognized immigrant rights activist Jose Antonio Vargas – our acclaimed commencement speaker in 2013 – will speak at De Anza in late January.
On Monday, the Foothill-De Anza Board of Trustees unanimously approved two resolutions on behalf of our students: one a statement of support for the continuation of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), and the second a policy statement asserting non-compliance with any federal efforts to create registries based on religion or created to facilitate deportations. You can view the resolutions from the resources webpage.
Immigration status concerns and the maintenance of civil liberties are not the only public issues we will face over the next period of time. But we will work on those most immediately. De Anza College is committed to practical and real assistance to students, beyond public conversations and support.
Enjoy your holidays, and I look forward to seeing you back on campus in January.
Best wishes,
Brian Murphy