WHEREAS, following the United States presidential election on November 8, 2016, there has been an increase in the frequency of recorded events of bias crimes and discriminatory acts targeting people of color, LGBT people, immigrants, Muslims, and other historically marginalized people on and off college campuses across the U.S.;

WHEREAS, multiple departments and programs at Cornell have adopted statements responding to these post-election developments;

WHEREAS, more than 2260 Cornell faculty, students, staff, and alumni have signed a November 18, 2016 petition entitled “Make Cornell a Sanctuary Campus,” directed to Interim President Rawlings and Incoming President Pollack;

WHEREAS, the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GPSA) has adopted a resolution endorsing the November 18, 2016 petition;

WHEREAS, such petitions are also circulating at over 100 other colleges and universities across the country;

WHEREAS, 346 college and university presidents across the U.S. have signed a Statement in Support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program and Our Undocumented Immigrant Students as of November 29, 2016;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that the Faculty Senate denounces hate speech, violence, and other forms of exclusion directed at individuals based on their race, ethnicity, religion, disability, sex, and sexual orientation;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Faculty Senate affirms our hope, which President Rawlings also expressed in his letter of November 22, that Cornell will remain a place where all may study together in safety and a spirit of cooperation;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Faculty Senate endorses the November 18, 2016 petition, “Make Cornell a Sanctuary Campus,” and joins with other faculty in calling on Cornell to join the nation-wide movement to proclaim sanctuary status for this campus.

Co-sponsoring senators:

• Professors Cynthia G. Bowman and Sherry Colb, Law School
• Associate Professor Elizabeth Anker, Department of English (at-large senator)
• Professor Matthew A. Evangelista, Department of Government
• Professor Risa L. Lieberwitz, School of Industrial and Labor Relations

Petition

College Presidents Letter