By Eric Stock

NORMAL – Illinois State University officials are trying to ease the concerns of students, faculty and staff over President Donald Trump’s new immigration orders targeting seven Muslim-majority nations.

President Larry Dietz has send a letter to the campus community to indicate ISU will remain a safe, secure and inclusive environment.

ISU spokesman Eric Jome told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin and Patti Penn the university will offer legal advice to those who need it.

PODCAST: Listen to Patti and Scott’s interview with Jome on WJBC.

“If you may be traveling, it may be best for those students to seek other legal counsel maybe from an immigration attorney to get the best possible information there.” Jome said.

Jome said the university won’t give out any personal info unless its legally required to do so, but he says it’s unclear how the orders will affect students from those countries or prospective students who have been accepted to ISU.

“What their status is we are still trying to figure that out,” Jome said.

The attorneys general of Illinois and 14 other states and the District of Columbia have issued a joint statement condemning President Trump’s travel ban as unconstitutional.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said Trump’s executive orders are not only unjust and discriminatory – it will not make America safer.”The Trump executive orders have created mass chaos across the country and real injustice when it comes to legal, permanent residents and other travelers at our airports,” Durbin said.

See Dietz’s letter below:

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff Members,

As our nation focuses on potential changes to immigration laws, practices and policies, I want to assure the Illinois State University community that I, along with our shared governance leaders, remain deeply committed to providing a safe, secure and inclusive environment for all students and scholars, including international and undocumented students and scholars.

The actions highlighted below are just some of the ways Illinois State serves our commitment to safety, privacy and non-discrimination:
· ISU policy protects all students, faculty and staff from discrimination and harassment based on their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, order of protection, gender identity and expression, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, genetic information, unfavorable military discharge or status as a veteran in employment.
· In December, I joined hundreds of university presidents nationwide in signing the Statement in Support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program and Undocumented Immigrant Students. DACA was designed to allow undocumented immigrants, who arrived in the U.S. as minors, to apply for a two-year program that defers deportation, provides eligibility for a work permit and allows them to attend universities and colleges.
· I also support legislation entitled, Bar Removal of Individuals who Dream and Grow our Economy (BRIDGE), which has bipartisan congressional support.
· Student records are subject to Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protection. Immigration/citizenship status is not listed as part of directory information and is not released without a student’s permission, unless there is proper legal authority such as a subpoena or court order.
· The Illinois State University Police Department (ISUPD) has a commitment to protect and serve all members of the community regardless of immigration status. ISUPD does not ask about a person’s immigration status unless it is specifically related to a criminal investigation being conducted by the department.
· Illinois State works to enhance the services and the support it provides to international and undocumented students. Staff in the Office of Admissions work with undocumented students and help them navigate the application process and the transition to life on campus. All students, regardless of citizenship status, are admitted based on academic credentials. Undocumented students living in Illinois may be eligible for in-state tuition and are eligible to apply for the Presidential, University, and Redbird scholarships. In addition, many departmental scholarships do not require citizenship.
· The campus organization, CAUSA, works to inform educators and others on campus and in the local community about the issues and challenges faced by undocumented students. The group is dedicated to enhancing the academic and support services that are available to those students.

Members of the University community also have a variety of resources that can be accessed to address questions and concerns:
· If you feel targeted or at risk of imminent harm, or wish to report a crime or suspected criminal behavior, contact the Illinois State University Police Department.
· To report harassment or discrimination, contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access.
· For questions about international issues impacting international students and/or visiting scholars, including immigration and the potential impacts of recent Executive Orders, contact the Office of International Studies and Programs.
· For work authorization and employment questions, contact Human Resources.
· To access a variety of resources from the Division of Student Affairs, contact the Dean of Students Office.
· For questions about University-related international travel contact the Office of University Risk Management.
· To access Admission and Financial Aid information for undocumented students.
· For questions about international partnerships and research agreements, contact the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
· To speak with an ISU counselor contact Student Counseling Services.

It is my sincere hope that we will continue to meet our challenges, not in a climate of fear, but in a spirit of collegiality and community. We will continue to monitor developments and communicate with you as appropriate.

As always, I welcome your thoughts, and I thank you for your commitment to Illinois State University.

Respectfully,

Larry H. Dietz

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].