Feminists Elaborate: The importance of being a sanctuary campus

After the protests and arrests Wednesday night, Ohio University students have been hearing a lot about sanctuary campuses. Still, a good number might not know exactly what the term entails, even after the protest. The Wednesday night demonstration was aimed at administrators, who are already familiar with the idea of a sanctuary campus. This column is aimed at fellow students, who might want to learn and, I hope, recognize the importance of distinguishing our campus as a sanctuary.

At its most basic level, a sanctuary campus is a campus whose policies are specifically structured to protect international and undocumented students. In doing so, a university might forbid officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement from campus without a warrant; refuse to share student information with ICE; not gather student information on immigration or citizenship status; provide tuition support for students without the documentation to work in the country; provide accommodations for students to finish their degrees remotely if they are deported; or provide confidential legal aid for students concerned with their immigration or citizenship status.

Many, myself included, believe that at their best, universities have always been sanctuaries; they have been places that offer a retreat from the world — from the necessity to earn a wage — in order to provide a space for learning. That idealized image isn’t without purpose; in a democratic society, it is in all of our best interests that the voting public be educated. But of course, that image isn’t often the reality, as tuition costs soar above accessibility for many students and some university programs become more and more focused on job placement.

Believing in a sanctuary campus is also a belief that education and opportunity should be available to all people — specifically, that education should not be barred from those most at risk, such as undocumented students who call the U.S. their home. The number of students at risk has grown with the recent immigration ban from the Trump Administration, which targets some green card holders (in other words, international students who do have legal documentation). Even students not afraid for their own immigration status may be fearful for their family’s. With that in mind, it seems like high time the university follow through on its commitment to the “Bobcat family” and to “diversity” — both prominent concepts in its promotional materials.

If the university truly wants to educate a diverse population of students who come together at the university as a family, administrators have to start looking out for that family with clear actions. Those actions should include establishing OU as a sanctuary campus, as well as not arresting students who are fighting for their fellow bobcats’ safety. It is time for our university and its administrators to follow through on their ideals and I encourage anyone reading this to step up as well — either by calling university officials to voice your opinion or by joining in the next protest.

Hopefully both.

Hannah Koerner is a senior studying English at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to ask Hannah more about the importance of a sanctuary campus? Email her at hk489812@ohio.edu.