Sep 06, 2017

Statement on DACA

Students, Faculty and Staff,

On behalf of the entire University of Northern Iowa community, I am writing to express our support for members of UNI who are concerned about yesterday's announcement by U.S. Attorney General, Jeffrey Sessions. The announcement of a six-month phase out of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) creates a great deal of uncertainty and anxiety for individuals seeking a higher education degree across the nation.

This past March UNI hosted a panel discussion on immigrant communities in the Cedar Valley that discussed many of the issues that are central to DACA. The discussion provided a deep and rich understanding of the challenges that undocumented individuals face, especially those that came to the United States as children. Individuals who are registered in the DACA program have had a positive impact on our country and on the universities they attend.

The impact of this announcement can be overwhelming for students, employees, and their families. If you have questions or need support in any way, please know that as a community, UNI is here to support you. The following resources are available to support any and all University of Northern Iowa students, faculty, and staff:

As we move forward, we will keep you informed on developments relating to DACA. We will work with our congressional delegation to help them understand the importance of this issue to students, the community and the state.

Sincerely,
Mark A. Nook
President