Fellow Bears:
Today, the United States Supreme Court issued a ruling in Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California blocking the Trump administration’s 2017 termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, or DACA. UNC joined an Amicus Brief urging the United States Supreme Court to sustain DACA last fall.
I am encouraged by this ruling and while this is good news for now, this issue is not yet settled. The University of Northern Colorado continues to advocate for a more permanent, just, and inclusive solution for DACA students. I urge our DACA students to keep pushing forward toward their goal of obtaining a college degree. To assist them in doing so, UNC has launched a crowdfunding campaign to support our DACA Scholarship Fund and I encourage members of our community to contribute today if they are able to do so.
Our DACA students belong here. They and their families have worked hard to gain access to the opportunity to pursue a college education and the many rewards that come with earning a degree. Their contributions enrich our community. And, they model for us all what persistence and perseverance in the face of adversity looks like. Today and every day, we stand in solidarity with them.
Although this news is positive, I understand the psychological and emotional roller coaster our DACA students have been on for so long. I encourage our DACA students to contact Rudy Vargas, UNC’s Dreamer Engagement Program (DEP) and Undocumented Student Services Coordinator, if they need assistance.
UNC welcomes more than 12,000 Bears from many backgrounds. Each of them is important and a vital part of our community. Over our University’s long history, our students, faculty, and staff have benefitted from the vast contributions of immigrants who dream of a brighter future for themselves and their families, bring their unique perspectives and talents to our work, and whose ambitions are an inspiration to us all. We will continue to do all that we can to support every member of our Community of Bears.
Rowing, Not Drifting,
Andy Feinstein
President
