Colleagues,

U.S. Attorney General Sessions announced this morning, as expected, that the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program is being rescinded. While Congress considers next steps, our focus at Colorado State University is and will continue to be on our own students. I want to recognize that we have approximately 189 students at CSU who we believe will be personally impacted by this action. These are students who call Colorado home – they came to CSU from the Denver Public Schools, the Mapleton School District of north Denver, the Greeley area, Adams City High School, Hinkley High School, and from many locations along the I-70 corridor.

These students have performed exceptionally well academically and are outstanding members of our campus community. They, in many ways, embody the spirit of the Land Grant mission – to provide access to an excellent education to anyone with the ability and drive to earn it. We are deeply concerned at the potential loss to our country and to these students personally if their educational dreams are cut short.

CSU has argued, and will continue to do so, that the benefit to Colorado from retaining and graduating these students who have attended both high school and college in the state – and have strong family ties here – is significant. Certainly, the benefit to our campus community from the presence of these strong, hard-working, and talented student leaders is also significant. We support any efforts to allow these students to complete their educations at Colorado State University. To that end, we have been in touch directly with our Congressional leadership, lending our voice in support of this program, and we have also been working through our national higher education organizations, which have been strong champions of DACA.

We have had a team for many months working at CSU to support our impacted students and to look at options related to financial aid, online degree-completion, and legal and community resources. Detailed information on contacts and resources is available at https://undocumented.colostate.edu/.

I have also included a list of campus resources below that may be useful to faculty and staff in advising students, as well as for our students themselves. Advocating for our students is a privilege we inherit from those who built this University, a role in which we take great pride, and a responsibility from which we shall not turn away despite the complexity of any situation that may face us. In the absence of much information about what comes next, I simply ask that we move forward with compassion and strong support for our impacted students.

Sincerely,
-tony

Dr. Tony Frank
President

Additional resources and support for DACA students

  • CSU Health Network Counseling Services:
    (970) 491-6053, health.colostate.edu; request Stephanie DeRosby, if possible.
  • Community for Excellence
    All of our undergraduate DACA and ASSET students have a scholar contact who is a direct resource and support person . If you have any questions, your scholar contact can help you find an answer. http://www.c4e.colostate.edu/
  • Registrar’s Office
    Academic Advising Support: If you are concerned about completing your degree, the Registrar’s Office has five dedicated staff members ready to sit down one-on-one with students to talk through a plan from now until graduation; (970) 491-0599; Registrar.colostate.edu; request D. Tobiassen Baitinger.
  • Office of Financial Aid
    For ongoing concerns related to financial assistance; Centennial Hall – 129D; contact: Adam Nieto, adam.nieto@colostate.edu; (970) 491-4049.
  •  Student Case Management
    If you need assistance because you need to miss class or if a family emergency comes up; 501 W. Lake Street, Suite B (Aggie Village area); Contact: Sagarika Sarma, sagarika.sarma@colostate.edu or call (970) 491-8051.
  • Student Legal Services
    CSU has contracted with two lawyers who specialize in immigration law. They will be on campus on the following dates: Sept 14, Oct 12, and Nov 16. Please know that you are welcome to bring family as well. 284 Lory Student Center; to schedule an appointment call: (970) 491-1482.
  • Incidents of Bias
    If you experience any form of harassment based on identity, particularly as an undocumented student, please consider reaching out to any of the following to report:

Tell Someone
(970) 491-1350
tellsomeone.colostate.edu

Cultural and Resource Student Centers

Asian/Pacific American Cultural Center
970-491-6154
http://www.apacc.colostate.edu/

Black/African American Cultural Center
(970) 491-5781
http://www.baacc.colostate.edu/

El Centro
(970) 491-5722
http://www.elcentro.colostate.edu/

Native American Cultural Center
(970) 491-1332
http://www.nacc.colostate.edu/

Pride Resource Center
(970) 491-4342
https://prideresourcecenter.colostate.edu/

Resources for Disabled Students
(970) 491-6385
http://www.rds.colostate.edu/

Women and Gender Advocacy Center
(970) 491-6384
http://www.wgac.colostate.edu/