The Diablo Valley College council open forum that led to faculty and students on the lookout for strategies to protect undocumented students took place on Wednesday, Feb. 22.

What is DVC’s need? How do we address that need? What are the solutions? Those were just a few of the many questions answered at the forum.

Concerns dealing with the familiarization and acceptance of Resolution 1-S were expressed at the meeting.

Resolution 1-S grants sanctuary status to every Contra Costa Community College as it withholds students’ personal information from federal agencies.

Ted Wieden, DVC’s Interim President said, “The focus for today is to familiarize ourself with the resolution.”

Because the resolution doesn’t use the word “sanctuary” due to its unclear meaning, groups were created at the forum to discuss the possibility of student allies creating their own sanctuary pacts on campus to support the safety of those of whom are undocumented.

Two of the main goals which were proposed on Wednesday include the goal to educate every student on the resolution, and to persuade them into becoming an ally to undocumented students.

“We talked about education in non-violence civil disobedience, given that students have a lot more latitude and range of what they can do than what the institution can,” said Andy Barlow, a social science professor who shared what his group discussed.

Barlow talked about the possible vision of educating the college community on what a sanctuary movement is and how to achieve it by forming student allies instead of relying on the district and college institution to put in the work.

Due to President Trump’s plan to put pressure on sanctuary cities by threatening to cut city and university budgets, those at the DVC open forum described their plans to spread awareness by student involvement.

The impact that ASDVC could possibly have on supporting the spread of awareness of a student-formed sanctuary was considered at the forum.

“I’m going to form that club,” Robin Stewart said, an ASDVC member who is focused on tangible strategies to protect undocumented students.

“I’ll actually speak to the students about the content of what we’re saying rather than the fluff which they see it as.”