FLC's commitment to immigrant students

Fort Lewis College hereby affirms its commitment to an environment that is supportive, welcoming, and respectful of documented and undocumented immigrant students.

This statement outlines specific actions Fort Lewis College is taking to express its commitment to documented and undocumented immigrant students.

We affirm that we provide the following for all documented and undocumented immigrant students and employees:

  • The College is committed to protecting student identities:
    • By continuing to fully comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).  In compliance with FERPA, the College is committed to protecting the privacy of all student information, with the exception of student directory information, which may be released.  Neither immigration status nor citizenship status are directory information, as defined by Fort Lewis College; therefore, those two items will not be shared with any party, including law enforcement agencies. In the following very limited circumstances, the College may provide student information beyond directory information: when there is a judicial warrant, subpoena, or court order for such information, or when there is a release from the student.
    • Citizenship status of students is no longer viewable to general staff members within our internal information systems. Access to citizenship identifiers within our systems has been restricted to only those employees who need such access in order to perform their job responsibilities.  
    • FLC does not automatically require immigration status information from students. There are limited circumstances when it is required by law to ask for immigration status information, such as when hiring student employees or if students apply for federal/state financial aid. For example, if an undocumented student chooses to seek in-state tuition through the Colorado ASSET program, they will be required to complete an affidavit.  This affidavit requires applicants who do not have lawful immigration status to affirm they have applied for lawful presence or will do so.  FLC does not voluntarily release student Colorado ASSET information to the federal government. 
  • FLC Police does not and will not enforce immigration law.  They do not inquire about nor record an individual’s immigration status. 
  • If a College office receives a subpoena, warrant, court order, or other directive for immigration information regarding students/faculty/staff, the office receiving the subpoena, warrant, court order, or request must immediately contact the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, who will consult with legal counsel concerning the validity and legality of the request prior to responding. Whenever possible, the College will refrain from providing immigration information to any third party.
  • The College does not use E-Verify processes in any admission, financial aid, or student employment transactions.  The College intends to continue this practice. 
  • Qualified undocumented students may receive in-state tuition classification at Fort Lewis College through Colorado’s ASSET program.
  • The Fort Lewis College Student Housing Office is required and committed to following Federal and State laws prohibiting discrimination. Information about student race, ethnicity, and immigration status are not collected through the housing application and are not used during the housing assignment process.  
  • Fort Lewis College is an inclusive environment with students from a diverse array of backgrounds, including immigration status. 
  • The College is also committed to supporting documented faculty and staff members who are immigrants.  One specific way in which that commitment is demonstrated is that the College sponsors Permanent Resident Card applications for faculty and staff who are here on work visas.  It should be noted that there are stringent legal requirements regarding sponsorships.

President Tom Stritikus

-December 2018

There are many resources on campus and in the community to support immigrant and undocumented students in their success.

Find resources for undocumented students