September 05, 2017
Dear ArtCenter Community,
As we welcome with excitement the arrival of our new students for the Fall term, 2017, we simultaneously witness with alarm the Trump administration’s formal announcement that it plans to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) for roughly 800,000 “DREAMers.” This deeply troubling and heartless decision goes against the fundamental values of this institution, and we stand in solidarity with all those who are impacted at ArtCenter and throughout the country.
In light of today’s developments, I want to reiterate my position on DACA from my message to you last January and to provide the following reassurances:
In addition, I have contacted our congressional and senate representatives expressing my indignation about today’s announcement and will continue to do whatever I can to fight the injustice of the decision. I also plan to sign a letter of protest with my colleagues from our fellow AICAD schools.
I urge all of you, in your own ways, to speak up about this development.
At the very least, today’s decision could deny talented young people access to their education and to the future opportunities which that education represents; at worst, they could face losing the only home they have ever known.
We cannot remain silent while the vulnerable among us face the possibility of a fate so cruel and frightening.
Thank you,
Lorne M. Buchman
President
ArtCenter College of Design