An open letter to President Bulger and LCC administrators
By Jeremiah Powers
Dr. Martin Luther King asserted that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
I ask that our school administrators not be complicit in their silence.
I would like to commend our school administration’s respect for the rule of law. However, the rule of law has shown to be ineffective at protecting communities.
ICE has acted without warrants or due process to remove students, sometimes forcefully from campuses across the nation. In our own state the University of Oregon had four student visas temporarily revoked without explanation. It can be theorized that they were vocal with their disagreements about certain political events on the global stage. This is not a crime, nor a valid or legal reason to revoke legal status to be in this country. This is a systemic silencing of free speech.
Similarly OSU had 13 student visas revoked. It can be said that these students were asked to “self deport” while their visas were revoked but what if they had chosen not to? These institutions have conveyed volumes with their silence in supporting their students.
Will Lane Community College do better?
In a communication dated Feb.10, President Stephanie Bulger wrote to the Lane Community College faculty, staff, and student body that “While we all continue to monitor and respond to the changes, it is our goal to maintain a welcoming climate where all feel safe and supported.”
With recent events on both the federal and local levels I am calling on you to revisit this commitment and clearly define what steps you are taking to defend our community. President Bulger cited procedural updates and very vaguely addressed personal status concerns in this Feb. 10 email which I will list and respond to below:
“Procedural review and updates
● Revisions have been made to the procedure on building access to include the designation of public and private spaces. Generally, ICE may not take enforcement action in designated private spaces without a judicial warrant.
● You may begin to notice signage placed at College locations to more clearly designate public and private spaces for the public.
Personal status concerns
● All College employees have documented status in compliance with applicable employment law; however, there may be some employees with temporary protected status who have concerns about that status being terminated by the Department of Homeland Security. If this situation describes you, please talk with your manager or with Vice President for Human Resources Shane Turner to confidentially share your concerns and discuss options and resources that may be available.” — President Bulger
The federal administration has invoked the alien enemies act to remove individuals with legal status from our country without due process, nor respect for the rule of law. Is it Lane Community College’s belief that new signage and building access procedure revisions will provide a significant barrier if ICE does choose to act on our campus? If these measures do not protect our students and staff what recourse can the college take? What measures will the administration take?
I ask you to clearly define what measures this institution’s administration is currently taking, or willing to take to protect our students, faculty, and staff.
Please, communicate openly and specifically. Don’t pay lip service to your students and employees. We deserve more than just boilerplate statements that leave more questions than answers.
I ask for more open dialogue between the administrators of this college, students, faculty, and staff to address the concerns of all those who are expected to view our campuses as a safe space.
Please, hold open assemblies that will dictate how faculty, staff, and students are expected to respond to threats to their civil liberties. Make these sessions open to the student body, involve the Student Government Association in shaping these policies for the betterment of their constituents.
I ask if you respect the rule of law that you respect every person’s right to due process and tell us what tangible measures are, or will be implemented to ensure that due process is indeed provided.
Please, explain to your students, faculty and staff if ICE comes to our campus and invokes an executive mandate without a judicial warrant to attempt removal of a student or employee what will be the administration’s response? How is public safety expected to respond in defense of students, faculty, or staff in these circumstances?
What if individuals claiming to be ICE attempt to abduct persons from our campus but refuse to identify themselves or provide credentials, as has been reported to be the case in other instances? How will the administration and public safety respond at that moment? Will they act in defense of their students and employees? How far is the administration willing to execute its authority against unidentified and unlawful assailants?
These are answers we all not only deserve but should be entitled to if you truly hold our safety and well-being in as high regard as you have claimed.
Your Student,
Jeremiah Powers
