RANCHO SANTIAGO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Relating to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
Resolution No. 17-06
WHEREAS, the Rancho Santiago Community College District (the “District”) is committed to serving all students who can benefit from a post-secondary education, without regard to race, ethnicity, heritage, religion, national origin, immigration status, age, language, socio-economic status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, medical condition or disability; and
WHEREAS, the District believes that all people should have the opportunity to reach their full educational potential in a climate of respect and inclusion and in an educational environment that protects students from pressures and intrusive actions that would disrupt or impair their education; and
WHEREAS, the District is proud to serve its richly diverse community and is committed to following the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 C.F.R. § 99.1 et seq., and the California Education Code, § 49076, that govern the privacy of student records, AB 540 that exempts undocumented students from non-resident tuition, and the California Dream Act which allows undocumented students to apply for and receive state based financial aid and institutional scholarships; and
WHEREAS, great uncertainty exists amongst students about what specific immigration policies will be pursued by the federal government,and immigrants and other populations within the Rancho Santiago Community College District community are fearful of policies that may result in deportation or forced registration based on immigration status, religion or beliefs; and
WHEREAS, the District desires to reassure students that our campuses will remain safe and welcoming places for students of all backgrounds and inform them that state law grants qualified undocumented students the right to admissions and financial aid; and
WHEREAS, the District desires to join the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the University of California and the California State University to: 1) reassure its students that the campuses will remain safe and welcoming places to learn for students of all backgrounds, whether documented or undocumented; 2) call on President Donald Trump to preserve DACA; and 3) defend the right of all students to obtain a higher education in California; and
WHEREAS, the Rancho Santiago Community College District recognizes that DACA students do not represent a public safety threat but rather represent some of the finest young individuals on whom our country’s future depends, now,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of the Rancho Santiago Community College District declare that our campuses remain open, safe and welcoming to students of all backgrounds who meet the minimum requirements for admission, regardless of immigration status and will continue to provide services for DACA and other documented and undocumented students, including counseling, instructional support, places to study, assistance in applying to our colleges and for financial aid through the California Dream Act and other appropriate support services, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of the Rancho Santiago Community College District, urges President Donald Trump to continue the DACA program, which grants “Dreamers” – people who were brought to this country as children by their parents, to continue to pursue an education – reprieve from deportation because California and the United States are stronger due to their contributions to our economy, to our communities and to our Armed Forces; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Rancho Santiago Community College District, acting in accordance with the values of the District and the values of the University of California, California State University, California, the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office supports continuation of the following District Practices, absent legal authority, the District will not: (1) allow Federal immigration officials on campus; (2) act on behalf of Federal agencies to enforce immigration laws or aid in deportation; (3) share student records containing immigration or citizenship status with immigration officials; (4) allow District police to detain, question, or arrest anyone on the basis of suspected undocumented immigration status or participate in any voluntary program of immigration enforcement; and (5) cooperate with any efforts to create a registry of individuals based on any protected characteristics such as religion, national origin, race, or sexual orientation; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the District will partner with the City of Santa Ana, Santa Ana Unified School District, Orange Unified School District, Garden Grove School District, local agencies, nonprofit entities, legal services entities, and other entities and groups where appropriate to provide support for families with deportation concerns; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees direct the Chancellor and College Presidents to ensure that faculty, staff, and students understand the District’s policies and have accurate and timely information on student’s rights to privacy and the limitations on the information which can be provided to external governmental and other agencies without their consent; and
BE IF FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees and the Rancho Santiago Community College District will vigorously advocate at every level of government to protect our students and our system’s values.
Dated this 13th day of March 2017.
Ayes: 7 Trustees: Alvarez, Barrios, Hanna, Labrado, Hernandez, Mendoza, Yarbrough
Noes: 0
Absent: 0
Abstain: 0
BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE
RANCHO SANTIAGO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
View/Download PDF Version of Signed Resolution
View/Download PDF DACA presentation given by Trustee Hernandez and Trustee Yarbrough at ACCT Annual Leadership Congress on 9-27-17
