The recent escalation in arrests, violence and aggressive actions taken by federal immigration authorities has made waves within the student body. The undersigned coalition of student organizations at Seattle University finds it imperative that Seattle University implement measures to ensure the safety of our campus community. This statement intends to convey student dissatisfaction regarding the Seattle University Administration’s inaction towards safety on campus. Our values as a Jesuit institution are the care of students, justice and the prioritization of education. It is the university’s moral duty to respond to the current federal abuse of power by ensuring the safety of our community. Since the 1980s, the Catholic Church and other religious institutions have committed to providing refuge to undocumented and vulnerable communities. Therefore, as a Catholic institution, it is imperative that we exemplify this practice within our own institution.
Federal presence on or near campus disrupts educational environments, promotes fear and hinders students’ ability to engage in campus activities. The experiences of students in cities burdened by excessive ICE presence serve as a warning. We must be proactive in implementing measures that support students’ education and development.
The following demands have been created and agreed upon by the undersigned student organizations, joined in coalition, all of whom understand and recognize the necessity of enacting these measures to protect Seattle University’s student body, faculty and staff.
Include rapid response in Public Safety duties.
Action Item #1a: Establish an emergency team to respond to federal immigration enforcement presence on campus.
Action Item #1b: Require all employees of the Department of Public Safety to receive rapid response training modeled after the Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network.
Provide transparency with the campus community in communications regarding federal immigration authorities.
Action Item #2a: Utilize existing emergency alert systems to alert community members of confirmed Department of Homeland Security presence in the pre-existing emergency alert zones of First Hill and South Lake Union campuses.
Ensure that there are clearly secure spaces on campus all year round.
Action Item #3a: Require signs on all campus facilities that state “Private Space” and direct visitors to University Counsel and front desks.
Action Item #3b: Keep student residential housing available during Winter Break at no additional cost for students who require international travel to return home.
We urge Seattle University’s Administration to demonstrate commitment to the security of our entire community. The Seattle University community needs to see firm support from our Administration that instills safety in and for our diverse institution.
This statement and these demands have been cosigned by the following Seattle University student organizations:
Applied Analytics
Biology Club
Club Français du Monde
Cornish College of the Arts’ Burlesque Club
Cornish College of the Arts’ Drag Club
Craft Club
D1 Improv
East African Student Association
Ecosangha Zen Group
Engineers for a Sustainable World
Farm Club
Filmmakers Club
Hui O Nani Hawai’i
Inigo Productions
Indigenous Students Association
Infinity Club For Neurodivergent Students
Intersectional Feminism Club
Khmer Student Association
Mock Trial
Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán Club (MECHA)
Muslim Student Association
Philosophy Club
Political Science Club
Re-Mixed Multiracial Student Association
Rhythmix Dance Collective
Seattle University ‘25-‘26 M.i.T. Cohort
Seattle University National Lawyers Guild
Ski and Snowboard Club
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
South Asian Student Association
Stoke
Student Nurses Association
Students for Justice in Palestine
Students Working Against Authoritarianism Together (SWAAT)
Sustainable Student Action
Tri-Alpha First-Generation Honor Society
Triangle Club
United Filipino Club
Vietnamese Student Association
Women in Business Club
Young Democrats