Since November of 2016, students in college campuses around the U.S. have been protesting in an effort to push their universities to declare themselves as “sanctuary campuses,” or places where President Trump’s planned immigration policies and mass deportations cannot touch them. Many groups of students of various identities staged demonstrations, sit-ins and walkouts in order to have a response from their administration.
Kevin Johnson, general counsel, and Lynn Hobson, dean of students, declined to comment on the topic.
Emporia State University has not declared itself a “sanctuary campus.”
Since Donald Trump’s election, some universities have felt a climate change, but according to Alice Hampton, a transgender student and junior in ceramics and printmaking, ESU is a safe campus.
“I don’t fear for my safety on campus any more than I had in the past,” Hampton said. “Generally I feel our campus is fairly safe overall.”
Some ESU students do feel unsafe no matter their identity.
Takara Yamamoto, a Japanese international student and senior in art and graphic design, believes the campus is safe for international students, but is unsure about immigrant, LGBT and Muslim students.
“All of my international friends said that they feel unsafe, especially Muslim students,” Yamamoto said. “Also many of my American friends said so too.”
Neither student believes the campus should feel obligated to announce itself as a sanctuary campus.
“I do believe an assertion denouncing Trump as a whole would be too much,” Hampton said, “Though I feel a statement that can help reassure targeted groups would be beneficial in easing our minds.”
“Even though I feel ESU is safe, I don’t think it is enough reason to announce that,” Yamamoto said. “But I think it’s good if I can see ‘the fact’ not ‘feel.’”
One reason the climate in ESU’s campus feels safe is because of the faculty and staff, according to Hampton.
“I feel very accepted by faculty and other staff members,” Hampton said. “I am comfortable knowing that if there ever was a problem there are people very willing to help in any way they can.”
