Dear Campus Community,
I write today to offer reassurance and provide resources that may be helpful as our campus community navigates a season of uncertainty. As the most diverse public university in Oregon, Portland State will continue to make every effort to provide a safe and welcoming campus environment to students from all backgrounds. Regardless of any federal designation, PSU will remain a Minority Serving Institution.
Since 2016, PSU has held firm to its status as a Sanctuary Campus and the protocols that underpin that identity remain in place today for all students. That means that PSU will take all legal measures to protect all of our students regardless of identity or immigration status. This includes:
- Campus Public Safety does not enforce federal immigration law;
- PSU will not consent to immigrant enforcement actions on campus; and
- PSU will protect the confidentiality of student records as required by law.
Our Office of General Counsel has prepared a detailed FAQ to help students and employees understand their rights and address immigration-related concerns.
As I shared in a blog post in November, Oregon became the first sanctuary state in 1987, standing up for the safety, dignity and human rights of all Oregonians. In 2017 Portland made a declaration as a sanctuary city, something that PSU had already declared about its campus the year before.
PSU is also committed to remaining a welcoming and safe place for our LBGTQAI+ community members. Individuals in that community continue to be targeted and the rising tide of discrimination feels stronger than ever. It is vital that we stand with them. The Queer Resource Center will work in conjunction with the Office of General Counsel and other campus resources to provide much needed support.
These policies may be tested in the weeks and months to come, but it is our intention — indeed it is central to our institutional values — to continue to welcome and support all learners, to continue to build a community ethos of care and well-being, and to provide equitable access to a quality education.
Sincerely,
Ann Cudd
PSU President