This week, Stevens students will begin voting on the newest Letter from the Student Body (LSB), a student-led initiative calling on the university administration to declare Stevens a Sanctuary University and implement policies designed to protect students, faculty, and staff from federal overreach.
If passed, the letter will be delivered to President Nariman Farvardin and the President’s Cabinet, urging them to adopt a comprehensive set of sanctuary policies. These measures include refusing voluntary cooperation with federal agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), guaranteeing legal and mental health support for undocumented and international students, protecting activism and protests, and committing to open communication with the Stevens community in the event of federal presence on or near campus. This LSB also explicitly calls on Stevens to “reject the idea that student, faculty, and staff safety can be subordinated to speculative financial concerns.”
Tanishka Kapoor, President of Stevens Amnesty, explained that the LSB was motivated by a rise in government pressure on universities nationwide: “We want the Stevens administration to know that we want to be protected — not just through words but through actions and policy implementations.” Vice President of Amnesty Kristina Szumski added that the group was also concerned by recent changes to administrative language on campus. “We want to have policies that protect student rights, and that our opinions are heard rather than silenced,” she explained. Amnesty members also emphasized that the stakes go beyond immigration; the letter is framed around First Amendment rights, protection of international and undocumented students, and ensuring that advocacy is not punished.
The Sanctuary University Request LSB was drafted by members of Stevens Amnesty International, with guidelines from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and reviewed and endorsed by more than 20 other student organizations, cultural Greek organizations, and faculty members. The drafting process began last semester and involved multiple rounds of revisions. Amnesty wrote the initial draft, grounding it in federal law and recommendations from Amnesty International, then sought input from a wide range of stakeholders, including student groups such as Stevens Student Justice for Palestine (SJP) and others.
Stevens Amnesty Treasurer Elizabeth Curran explained the importance of including diverse voices, being that “[they] want to have more of an impact on the way our school is run and how it interacts with the wider world. This LSB builds momentum for more student voices.” Among other challenges, Stevens Amnesty members noted the difficulty of striking the right tone and language with administrators while ensuring the letter remained strong in its requests.
The Sanctuary University Request LSB was officially introduced at the Student Government Association (SGA) senate meeting on September 21. Voting opened Monday, September 22, and will remain open until 9 a.m. on Monday, October 6. All undergraduate students may vote to approve, deny, or abstain from the LSB. According to the SGA’s rules, at least 10% of the undergraduate student body must participate in the vote, and at least two-thirds of the votes must be in favor in order for the letter to pass. To raise awareness and encourage participation, Amnesty will be tabling daily from 12 to 4 p.m. in the University Center Complex (UCC) for the entirety of the voting period.
SGA President Alexander Stanczak emphasized that LSBs provide students with a unique opportunity for direct influence. “This is a good way to implement policies of high importance. If passed, LSBs can have a very direct and immediate impact on the student body.”
If the letter passes the student vote, Amnesty and other endorsing organizations will be calling on the administration to issue a university-wide email affirming Stevens’ commitment to sanctuary policies, outlining next steps for implementation.
Amnesty members stressed that the letter is not just symbolic. They hope to see concrete policy changes enacted, including legal resources, campus police training, and protections for advocacy. “The student body has a clear role in shaping university policies,” Kapoor explained. “Students are investors in the university, and our voices should be heard. This LSB communicates that safety, rights, and protection are non-negotiable.”
Voting will remain open until October 6 at 9 a.m., with results expected to be announced shortly after. Undergraduate students can vote here.
