To the Occidental Community:
As you know, the Trump Administration announced this morning that it will end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program. Occidental’s position on this issue has not changed. As I and hundreds of other college presidents said in a last November, “DACA should be upheld, continued, and expanded. … This is both a moral imperative and a national necessity. America needs talent – and these students, who have been raised and educated in the United States, are already part of our national community. They represent what is best about America, and as scholars and leaders they are essential to the future."
More broadly, I want to share with the Â鶹ÊÓƵ community, including students, faculty and staff who are new to the College, the statement of guiding principles the Board of Trustees and I issued in January. Today's announcement by the Trump administration only serves to strengthen our commitment to support students, faculty and staff in keeping with the College’s values -- values that are consistent with a deeply felt opposition to bigotry, discrimination, and hate in any form. Among other commitments, this means we will continue to admit and educate talented students, regardless of their background, and to meet every student’s demonstrated financial need.
As I said at our first faculty meeting of the year, I look forward to working with Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s Coordinating Group on Sanctuary Campus and Faculty Council to continue our efforts on this issue, and to take appropriate steps to ensure that all members of our community feel the full support of the College.
Jonathan Veitch