The Ad Hoc Committee on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)/ Undocumented Students has created a webpage of campus support contacts and resources for DACA students. The page will be expanded in the coming weeks.
The Ad Hoc committee, originally established by Chancellor Kent Syverud in February 2017, was reconvened and expanded in October 2017, as uncertainty continues to surround the DACA program on the federal level.
The committee’s charge is to explore best practices in higher education and make recommendations on how Syracuse University can best support and provide resources to its DACA and undocumented students. The committee is also working to address the concerns of students from “mixed status” families; students who may be citizens themselves but who have family members who are undocumented.
The webpage was among the priority areas that the committee focused its work on during the fall semester. This builds upon the committee’s previous work to communicate to impacted students, assemble an immediate action team and identify a primary campus contact, specialized legal expert and career-advising expert.
A key area the committee is focused on now is exploring professional development training programs for faculty and staff to build a network of contacts for DACA students in departments around the University.
In regard to student outreach, Dolan Evanovich, senior vice president for enrollment and the student experience, and Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz, interim senior associate vice president and dean in Enrollment and the Student Experience, recently met with self-identified undocumented students currently enrolled at the University to learn about their experiences and concerns and to offer support.
“Meeting with the students provided important insights into their Syracuse University experience, and we will use this information to improve our services for DACA students,” says Evanovich. “We are committed to providing a safe, welcoming environment for all students that supports them in succeeding inside and outside the classroom. We will continue to work to provide our students with the support and resources they need in this uncertain time.”
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Founded in 1870, Syracuse University is a private international research university dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching excellence, rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11 academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional disciplines that prepares students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main campus and extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three continents. Syracuse’s student body is among the most diverse for an institution of its kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Syracuse also has a long legacy of supporting veterans and is home to the nationally recognized Institute for Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their families.
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