Support for undocumented students

The following message was sent to the campus community on December 13.

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To our Wake Forest students and faculty & staff colleagues,

In an email on December 1, President Hatch pledged our collective, enduring support for anyone made to feel unsafe, unvalued, or unwelcome by the current divisive political climate. Our undocumented students are of particular concern, given the uncertainty created by possible changes to federal law and policies. President Hatch, joined by us and all other senior University leaders, affirms strongly our commitment to these students. We will continue to provide academic leadership, financial aid, support services, and connection to legal resources for each of our undocumented students.

In the days since President Hatch’s letter, several faculty and student groups have requested additional clarity on the University’s protections for undocumented students. To this end, last week we posted a document titled “Wake Forest University Support for Undocumented Students” to our Community in Progress website. This document responds to the concerns and questions raised by our undocumented students and their many allies, and outlines what our University and our campus community is doing, and can do, to support undocumented students.

Let us underscore that undocumented students have, and will continue to have, full access to all campus safety and support services. University Police and campus support offices are able and eager to help without concern for, or inquiry into, immigration status. It has never been the practice of our police officers to inquire about immigration status and this will not change.

To add additional clarity and reassurance, University Police are reviewing their policies and practices related to undocumented students in light of possible changes in federal immigration law; details of this review will be posted to their website before the new term begins. Additionally, faculty in our School of Law are exploring opportunities to support more effectively undocumented students with legal concerns.

We note further that the University’s Bias Reporting System does not and will not inquire about, collect, or track immigration information. The University will not voluntarily share information on the immigration status of any member of our community. And our University counseling and health services stand ready to aid all students without regard to immigration status.

Wake Forest University is bound together as a community of mutual care, and we are indelibly committed to supporting our undocumented students to the fullest extent allowed by law. We understand their concerns are both personal and familial. We are a richer learning community when all students, faculty and staff feel safe to contribute all of themselves. To that end, we will continue to discuss — and defend — what it means to live in community together.

We welcome your questions and concerns on this matter.

Rogan Kersh, Provost and Professor of Politics & International Affairs
Penny Rue, Vice President for Campus Life