1. United States
2. N.J.
3. Letter

Good morning! I am writing today regarding some concerning issues at Rutgers University- a New Jersey state school over which you have some discretionary control. New Jersey has a long and outstanding reputation for an excellent state university. Rutgers is one of the oldest schools in the country, and their football team played against Princeton in the first ever intercollegiate football games in the United States of America. They rival Ivy League credentialed schools and offer a wide range of usually school-specific high ranking programs- law, nursing, medical, etc. Rutgers has led the way in so many inclusive and safety initiatives, as well. However, now they will not commit to the tenets of their state. They will not declare Rutgers a safe space- a sanctuary school- protected from ICE. This is at odds with their messaging. This is at odds with the state’s messaging. This is at odds with humanity. Worse, when conducting a meeting with faculty, parents, students, and staff regarding their stance, they employed the use of security guards to remove dissenting parties. The voices of the oppressed were not fully heard by those in the ivy towers of Rutgers administration. This is truly horrifying. It looks bad for the school. It looks bad for the state. It looks bad for the country. Governor, you are in favor of anti-ICE legislation and protecting our friends and neighbors. You are in favor of school safety. You are in favor of free speech. You are in favor of inclusivity and diversity. As governor, you hold sway over many aspects of state university education. From funding to board members to policy, you can influence the culture of Rutgers University. Higher education is already difficult to navigate. It’s already hard for students to get in. It’s even harder to pay for. These students should not be subjected to university sanctioned terrorism in the form of armed men looking to end the lives and goals they’ve worked so hard to achieve. Please demand that Rutgers University protect its students. Without the students, it isn’t even a school anymore. Without the minority representing students, they no longer represent the world at large. Tell Rutgers if they can’t provide an education in a safe environment, they can shutter their doors. Appoint progressive professionals to the board, cut public funding, set policy that forces the state university to comply with state sanctuary guidelines. Thank you.