College Designee
Skagit Valley College has, in accordance with state law, designated a college employee for the purpose of ensuring the college’s compliance with both state and federal law. If an immigration officer approaches you on campus for any purpose, please contact 24/7 Security at 360-416-7777, they will contact the “College Designee” immediately:
- Yadira Rosales, Vice President for Equity and Inclusion- (360) 853-9799 (cell)
- The College Designee will take immediate steps to verify that any document (whether a subpoena, warrant, court order, or other) demanding to enter limited access space or obtain records is legally sufficient and facilitates compliance, if appropriate.
Physical Space on Campus
Below are definitions to assist in understanding about space:
- Limited Access Space: Faculty offices, classrooms, labs, departmental areas such as the enclosed center/spaces of enrollment, diversity center, counseling, financial aid, business office etc...
- Open Access Space: Lobbies located in any of the public buildings such as Cardinal Center lobby, libraries, Lewis Hall lobby, Oak Hall foyer etc.
College Employee Responsibilities
SVC employees are not required to affirmatively assist federal immigration authorities or grant permission to enter limited access space when officers do not have a judicial warrant or court order to enter. However, federal law prohibits you from hiding evidence, concealing or hiding individuals who are the subjects of law enforcement activity, or interfering with an arrest. Further, you should not put yourself in physical danger. Please seek guidance from the College Designee to understand your duties in particular circumstances. If an immigration officer seeks your consent to enter limited access space or request information or documents from you about another individual, the college must take steps to ensure that we have authority to provide the requested access, information or documents. Inform the officer that you need to consult with the College Designee.
- Ask the officer for their name, identification number and agency affiliation.
- Inform the officer that you are not obstructing their process, but that you will need to contact Campus Security and the College Designee for assistance.
- Contact Campus Security and College Designee.
- Ask the officer to wait in one of the following areas:
Mount Vernon Campus:
- During business hours of 8:00am-5:00pm: Annex Building-President Lobby
- Evening hours: Cardinal Center-Security Office
Whidbey Island Campus: Hayes Hall-Security Office
San Juan Center: Lobby
Requests for Information
Personal and personally identifiable information in college records, and those records themselves, are protected by a variety of privacy laws and college policies. As a college employee, you are required to maintain the confidentiality of personal and personally identifiable information, and records containing such information.
- Student Records: Under the Family Education Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA), the school must have the student’s consent to release education records unless presented with a judicially-issued subpoena or court order. If ICE (or any law enforcement officer) presents you with a document seeking information about a student, please follow the steps outlined for warrants to enter limited access space and contact the College Designee. SVC will identify employees that have the authority to disburse materials.
- Employee records: Human Resources will not verify or disclose employee information unless required by state or federal law and will follow all federal and state obligations in regard to employees' right to work documents.
Campus Security
- Campus security will not undertake joint efforts with federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies, to investigate, detain or arrest individuals for violation of federal immigration law.
- Campus security will not detain an individual in response to an immigration hold request from ICE, or any other law enforcement agency enforcing federal immigration law.
