On Monday, November 14, the following letter was sent to President Krislov, Dean of the College Elgren, Dean of the Conservatory Kailyn, and Dean of Students Raimondo. It was accompanied by the names of the over 2,400 students, staff, faculty, alumni, and family who signed.

The letter will remain open, so if you are a student, staff, faculty, alumni, or family member of an Obie, you are welcome to add your signature below.

Please note this is a public letter and petition, so if you do not want your name to be seen or connected to the letter, we urge you not to sign.

Shelley Lee, Gina Pérez, Julio Reyes, RaShelle Peck, Wendy Kozol, and Pam Brooks



******************************************************************************************************
Dear President Krislov,

Given the outcome of the Presidential election, we call on Oberlin College to stand with other colleges and universities and investigate how to make Oberlin a sanctuary campus that will protect our community members from intimidation, unfair investigation, and deportation. The City of Oberlin has been a sanctuary city since 2009, and along with the city of Lorain is one of two sanctuary cities in Lorain County.  Making Oberlin College a sanctuary campus supports these local efforts and demonstrates our commitment to support some of the most vulnerable members in our community.  

The student group Obies for Undocumented Inclusion and the Undocumented Student Initiatives of the Multicultural Resource Center recently issued a call to action to raise awareness of and support undocumented students at Oberlin College. They also reminded us of the early efforts by concerned students who in fall 2013 issued a letter to the Board of Trustees in which they urged:

“We must remember that immigration and access to education are not new issues and that they weave into a history of inequality in this country...We need to contribute to this movement and remember that it is not just an action against global and national systems of oppression, but an action to support human dignity and respect in our communities.”

This action will honor Oberlin's stated commitment to social justice, diversity, and inclusion, while extending its history of providing refuge for those seeking freedom. We urge you to immediately investigate how to make Oberlin College a sanctuary campus. Doing so will demonstrate our commitment to ensuring that Oberlin remains an institution of higher learning that actively protects the safety of all members of our community.