Office of the President

Reaffirming our Community Principles

Nov. 17, 2016

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

At the Town Hall for Unity on Tuesday evening, we had an engaging, robust discussion about the distress and fear many on our campus have been experiencing since the election. One of the issues raised was concern over potential changes to our country’s immigration policies and practices.

While no one knows what will happen in the future, and although we join many universities in studying what the term “sanctuary campus” means, we wanted to reaffirm the practices Brandeis University already has in place:

  • Brandeis University will not permit immigration enforcement on our campus with respect to our students, faculty or staff without a warrant or a clear demonstration of exigent circumstances, such as imminent risk to the health and safety of others.

  • Brandeis University Public Safety officers will not act on behalf of federal agents in the enforcement of immigration laws.

  • Brandeis University will not release immigration status information with respect to students, faculty or staff to the federal government unless mandated by court order or other valid legal instrument.

Like many colleges and universities across the country, Brandeis will continue to closely monitor the implications of any potential policy changes. We will share additional information soon with faculty, students and staff about services available for members of the community in need of assistance.

We are proud to be part of a university that continues to assert its founding and core values of justice and equity.

Ron Liebowitz, President

Lisa Lynch, Provost

Andrew Flagel, Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment