In response to growing concerns about potential federal immigration enforcement activities on college campuses in Contra Costa County, Diablo Valley College last month established a set of protocols for employees to best handle their interactions with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if and when necessary.
According to DVC President Susan Lamb, the six steps announced by the school are designed to protect the rights of students on campus and uphold safety, reflecting the institution’s commitment to safeguarding the diversity of its student body.
“[I’ve] always wanted to be prepared for all contingencies. Part of that preparedness is making sure that people know their rights,” said Lamb in a recent interview with The Inquirer.
To that end, DVC is “making resources available and letting people know what resources might be out there, whether it’s legal or just informational.”
“And then the third thing is also being prepared,” she added.
The new employee protocols establish, first, that DVC staff and faculty are to remain calm and professional in the event of ICE officers appearing on campus.
Second, DVC employees must ensure that no student information is provided without proper authorization from the administration.
The third protocol advises staff and faculty to direct any potential ICE agents to the offices of the college president. If the president or other designees, such as the vice president or assistants, are not present in the main office, employees are instructed to contact DVC Police Services.
Fourth, the president will consult with the district chancellor, who may seek legal counsel or requests, before issuing a response..
The fifth protocol states that employees must maintain confidentiality and not share any personal information with ICE about students or employees, except with personnel in the office of the school president.
Student information is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and under California State Law, according to the protocol.
The sixth and final step asks staff to write a document or basic summary of their interaction with ICE, and deliver it to the president at the email address: [email protected].
This new approach is designed to centralize and control ICE presence, reducing disruptions and disturbances on campus and protecting students at all costs, said Lamb
“The most important thing is education,” Lamb said “A friend of mine was saying that education is resistance, and I don’t know where she got that saying from, but I think it’s powerful: the more that people know their rights, the more information and resources they have, and I think the stronger it makes us.”
Lamb added, “It also makes us stronger as a community if I know that you and I stand side by side, and that we share values and that we are willing to stand for each other.”
Alice Logutenkova, a DVC alum with a degree in history from San Francisco State, shared her thoughts on the situation while considering her close family ties in Ukraine.
“Keeping awareness spread in these troubling times is a top priority so that we can keep ourselves important, aware and safe,” Logutenkova said.
Ari Arroyo, a graphic design major focusing on visual technology at DVC, had an expressive reaction to the new employee protocol.
“[It] should have been implemented, just raising that awareness to people who are undocumented,” Arroyo said.
“I think it’s a good thing that they’re giving this to all the professors and all the students to be aware of potential raids happening.”
The implementation of increased safety and security presence and updated emergency procedures, such as campus-wide alert systems, have also significantly enhanced the feeling of safety among students.
“Every day, I learn something new. I think about how I hadn’t thought about that perspective [of ICE presence],” said Lamb. “I think that’s one of the wonderful things about students, that [they] constantly challenge our perspectives and hopefully we learn and grow on a daily basis.”