The following statement was made by the BMCC Board of Education during its March 1, 2017, regular board meeting, declaring BMCC a safe place for ALL students and employees.
The Blue Mountain Community
College Board of Education is committed to putting Students First and to
fulfilling and supporting the College’s mission to provide “responsive and high
quality innovative educational programs and services that promote personal and
professional growth to strengthen our communities.” This means the College
supports the free and open exchange of ideas – in and outside of the classroom
– to support a diverse educational environment for all, and to recognize the
value and beauty in our differences.
In support of BMCC’s mission, the
Board and College value:
·
Integrity that promotes trust, honesty, ethical
behavior, and professionalism.
·
Communication that is open, honest, and
encourages a cooperative exchange of thoughts and ideas.
·
Compassionate relationships based on empathy,
kindness and reliability.
·
Access to all in an equitable manner.
·
Respect of individuals and their uniqueness and
diversity.
·
Excellence in an educational environment that
engages, challenges, advances intellectual curiosity, and fosters lifelong
learning.
BMCC prides itself on its
acceptance of ALL who want to achieve a higher education, learn a new skill or
enrich their lives. Tolerance and acceptance of all students and employees are
paramount to achieving our mission and values, and we must live by these values
as a College community. BMCC’s nondiscrimination policy states “there will be no discrimination or harassment on
the grounds of race, color, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, religion,
national origin, age or disability in any educational programs, activities or
employment.” All college employees have a duty and responsibility
to report all instances of harassment and/or discrimination. BMCC is committed to providing a
safe place for students and employees to gather and to learn.
The Board acknowledges that for
some of our students, employees, and community members, the fear of federal
enforcement is very real and very frightening. Please know that BMCC is
considered a “sensitive location” under federal law. This means that federal
agents, including those from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), are
prohibited from taking enforcement action in one of these designated locations
without a warrant or subpoena. BMCC will not assist with any federal action
without one of these required documents, and those officers should be directed
to the President’s Office for verification.
We encourage BMCC’s employees to
be mindful of these fears. Students should frequently be reminded that BMCC is
a place of acceptance, that we comply with privacy laws (FERPA) and we do not
release student information other than what is permitted or necessary under
law. We ask employees to remind students to utilize the many supports and resources
we have available to them, and to encourage discourse that promotes an openness
to alternative points of view and civility. It is our hope that our employees
and students feel safe when coming to any of our BMCC locations.
Though we do not know what will
come in the future in regards to immigration law, we do know that at BMCC,
every student has a right to learn in a safe environment without the
distraction of fear for personal safety and well-being. The Board of Education
wants to assure you that BMCC will continue its duty to protect and support our
College community, including undocumented students and anyone else who wants to
achieve their educational dreams in a place that truly puts Students First.