Penn student groups voiced concern about international and Latinx student safety at Wednesday's University Council meeting amid the recent Supreme Court decision allowing sweeping immigration stops in Los Angeles.
The Sept. 10 event at the Hall of Flags in Houston Hall opened with remarks from Penn President Larry Jameson, who spoke about the progress of working groups in the Penn Forward initiative. During the New Business section, several students spoke about the direct impact of the Supreme Court’s decision on Penn's Latinx and international student community.
Chair of External Affairs for the Latinx Coalition Victoria Navarrete-Ortiz highlighted the increasing need for University support.
“It is the responsibility of this University to ensure the safety of students, faculty, and staff, and to use the wealth of institutional resources to prevent this harm from tainting the rich culture and achievement Latinx students add to the Penn community,” Navarrete-Oritz said.
Chair of Penn for Immigrant Rights Natalia Ramos Bellido added that the International Student and Scholar Services office or Penn Carey Law’s Transnational Legal Clinic should offer an immigration lawyer for student immigration-based emergencies.
“Silence is born of privilege, and we, as the very students actively targeted by Supreme Court orders such as these, ask that [the Council] utilizes your privilege," Bellido said.
During the remainder of New Business, Executive VP of the Transfer Student Organization Matt Calumpit emphasized the importance of having transfer student representatives on student life advisory boards and committees.
“Many [transfer students] have often felt discouraged from joining these forums, leaving a crucial voice absent for discussion that often affects their experiences,” Calumpit said.
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Calumpit also called for the reevaluation of transfer credit eligibility to expand the accessibility of academic and co-curricular opportunities for transfer students.
Executive VP of the Graduate and Professional Students Assembly Adam Ziada — citing recent SEPTA cuts — shared her concerns for limited transportation options for graduate students and urged the University to consider ways to improve accessibility.
The Council also addressed topics raised at the April 30 meeting, including updates to the funding process for undergraduate student organizations, a review of the University’s sexual misconduct policy, and ongoing efforts to provide prospective transfer students with more information on transfer credit evaluations. Another topic included the discussion around postdoctoral policies.
As the forum wrapped up, Ziada also reiterated GAPSA’s support for international students, particularly at the graduate-level.
“[I’d like to] bolster the support that our organization has provided for graduate [and professional] students coming from outside of the United States.”
