University response to petition

Following is a response from the University to a petition received Nov. 16. 

Dear petition signatories,

Thank you for your petition. We want to assure you that Northwestern University is strongly committed to being a welcoming, inclusive community. That commitment has not changed as a result of the recent election, and it will not. Northwestern understands and takes seriously the concerns that have been expressed by members of our community, and the University has been providing support and reassurance through a variety of means. That, too, will continue, and we hope all members of the Northwestern community will join us in our efforts to make the University a safe and welcoming environment.

Since the DREAM Act was first introduced in Congress, Northwestern has been a strong supporter of that legislation. We will continue to work with policy makers on the local, state and federal level and, while it would be premature to speculate about what may happen at this point, we are following closely any potential changes to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program or visa programs that might affect our students, faculty and staff. In the meantime, Northwestern will continue its policy of providing full financial aid to undergraduate students who are graduates of U.S. high schools, regardless of whether they are U.S. citizens. Also, the Northwestern University Police Department will continue its existing policy of not questioning individuals who are stopped by University Police about their citizenship nor detaining individuals solely on the basis that they cannot produce an ID or proof of citizenship.

Northwestern today is a diverse place, with students, faculty and staff from many different countries and many different backgrounds. The result is a vibrant intellectual and social community that includes people with widely divergent beliefs and ideas. We’re proud of that — it’s one of the things that makes Northwestern such a special place. We are determined to keep it so.  

Best wishes,

Morton Schapiro
President and Professor

Dan Linzer
Provost

Nim Chinniah
Executive Vice President

Patricia Telles-Irvin
Vice President for Student Affairs

Phil Harris
Vice President and General Counsel