On Tuesday, Jan. 28, President Radenka Maric and Provost Anne D’Alleva posted a letter on UConn Today acknowledging the series of executive orders issued by President Trump.
An excerpt of the letter addressed concerns from the community about what the university would do if immigration enforcement officials entered a classroom looking for a specific student. Maric and D’Alleva said that, according to federal law, “UConn is prohibited from and would not provide information about a student’s class schedule or classroom location.” However, if this were to happen, faculty and staff are encouraged to contact the UConn Police Department and/or the Office of General Counsel.
The letter did not address what the university would do if a student were to be picked up outside of a class setting on campus or in surrounding areas such as Downtown Storrs.
Former president of the University of Connecticut, Susan Herbst, set a precedent for how the university will support undocumented students when Trump was first elected in 2016.
On Dec. 6, 2016, Herbst released a letter in UConn Today comprised entirely of efforts the university was making to support its undocumented students.
The letter stated that the university does not keep information on a student’s immigration status, nor does it keep a list of undocumented students. The university will not create such a list according to that letter.
The letter also stated that all UConn students are protected under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act regardless of immigration status. With FERPA, “students’ addresses, class schedules, information on their family members, and similar information generally cannot be publicly disclosed without a judicial warrant, subpoena, court order, or the student’s permission. In the absence of that, the University will continue to rely on FERPA in denying requests for such information if it is sought in any context, including for purposes of identifying or locating an undocumented student.”
According to Section D of UConn’s FERPA policy, the university will release information categorized as Directory Information to anyone who asks without prior consent from the student if deemed appropriate. This kind of information includes a student’s name, NetID, PeopleSoft Number and participation in officially recognized activities and sports.
Students must make a request in writing to the Office of the Registrar if they want to opt out of their directory information being disclosed. Students can also contact Jennifer Gattilia Tibbetts, an assistant registrar at the Connecticut Association of Collegiate Registrars, to have this information withheld as well.
In the 2016 letter, Herbst listed ways in which the university would help an undocumented student’s academic success if they were to be deported. Among these possibilities included placing a student at one of UConn’s partner global institutions. These institutions are located all around the globe from France, China, Brazil, Uganda, South Korea and more.
The Dean of Students Office did not respond to a request for comment on what it would do to help an undocumented student’s academic progress if they were deported.
The Office for Diversity and Inclusion has lists of legal and academic resources for undocumented students posted on its website.