Message on Executive Order

Photo of Hepburn Tower Lawn

Message on Executive Order

Dear Members of the NJCU Community

One of the hallmarks of NJCU is its tremendous diversity. With more than 60 different ethnicities represented, and more than 30 languages spoken on campus, every day is a cultural experience at NJCU. In addition, the University hosts a broad range of activities and events designed to foster cultural understanding.

With the new administration's Executive Order on immigration, we find ourselves faced with unforeseen challenges. We support the idea that national security is our collective charge and yet, we hold reservations about the manner in which this order was conceived and implemented.

Update on Executive Order (pdf)

We remain firm in our belief that as an institution of higher learning, we are charged with the special responsibility of ensuring the ongoing flow of ideas and knowledge across the campus, and across the globe.

NJCU stands with AASCU and NAFSA and supports the position that international exchange is a vital part of knowledge creation. We maintain strong engagement with One To World, an organization whose mission is global understanding, and we stand as a top producer of Fulbright Scholars, enabling our students to travel the globe for transformational experiences that make us stronger as a community, as a nation, and as a global society. Our commitment to our students, staff, and faculty is steadfast, and we will do everything within our power and within the law to ensure that the NJCU community remains a supportive resource for those who may be affected.

We support the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and were one of 620 colleges and universities to sign a statement imploring the federal government to uphold this critical policy.

Some of the critical steps we have taken to date to support undocumented and DACA students include:

  • Collaborated with the Office of the Dean of Students, the faculty and the student organization, The Dreamers, to host a town hall in support of undocumented students, DACA students, and all students who were concerned about President Trump's agenda on immigration after the election.
  • Met with and provided support services for undocumented and DACA students, specifically in the honors program, who were interested in faculty-led study abroad travel.
  • Provided letters of support specifically for DACA students to apply for Advance Parole.
  • Identified and offered domestic, faculty-led and study abroad trips for undocumented and DACA students who were unable to study abroad internationally.
  • Worked with The Center for Undocumented Students at Saint Peter's University to offer support sessions and legal information on immigration to NJCU and SPU students.
  • Will host an event for faculty with information and strategies on how to support this population. Details as follows:

Undocumented Students 2017: The New Administration and What it Means for This Special Population

Wednesday, February 1, 2-3:30 p.m., NJCU, Michael B. Gilligan Student Union, Multipurpose Room A, 2039 Kennedy Boulevard, Jersey City, NJ 07305. Presented by Tatyana Kleyn, Associate Professor and Director of Bilingual Education and TESOL Programs, City College of New York. Moderated by Dr. William Westerman, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, New Jersey City University.

We are concerned for our students and as such, will keep you apprised of events as they continue to unfold. NJCU has postponed study abroad to affected regions, but for any member of the NJCU community who is from one of the countries identified within the Executive Order—Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen—we advise that you seek legal advice on how any upcoming travel may affect you or your family.

In times of uncertainty such as this, we must remember that open dialogue, understanding, and a belief in the idea that diversity is our greatest strength will see us through, and will make us stronger. We are in this together, and I encourage each of you to share your concerns and questions with one another as we work toward solutions that best reflect the principles of liberty and freedom on which this nation was founded.

Sincerely,
Sue Henderson, Ph.D.
President, NJCU