Navigating Campus with Confidence
ULV SACNAS recognizes that periods of broader policy change can create uncertainty for students and their families. This page brings together practical guidance and trusted resources to help you remain focused, supported, and connected to your academic goals. Education is long-term power, and we are committed to helping you safeguard your path forward.
Education Is Long-Term Power
Staying in school is not passive. Continuing to learn, building credentials, and positioning yourself for leadership in STEM are long-term strategies for autonomy and influence.
Earning your degree is not symbolic—it is strategic.
The most transformative action available right now is sustained academic progress.
Faculty and Staff as Academic Partners
Build relationships before you need them. Attend office hours. Introduce yourself early in the term. Establish communication habits during calm periods.
When unexpected disruptions occur, existing relationships make it easier to stay enrolled and on track.
For Students in Labs or Campus Roles
If you work on campus, assist in labs, or participate in research, make sure at least one trusted person knows your schedule and who your supervisor is.
If you cannot report to work, prioritize oral communication when possible.
Professional relationships are part of your academic stability. Maintain them carefully.
Planning Ahead as an Act of Care
Have a basic continuity plan in place:
One trusted person who checks in with you.
Someone who knows your general schedule.
A clear understanding of who should be contacted if you don’t show up as expected.
This is not about assuming the worst. It is about preventing confusion and protecting study time. Preparation reduces panic and preserves focus.
Communicating Wisely
Use professional judgment in how you communicate. Ask yourself whether something needs to be written or whether it is better said in person. Keep messages simple and direct. “I won’t be able to attend today” is sufficient.
Sensitive topics do not belong in digital spaces. Academic questions should go through official channels, but personal circumstances do not need documentation.
Clarity protects you.
Using Community, Not Documentation
Rely on trusted people more than written records. Avoid putting sensitive personal information in emails, texts, learning platforms, or social media. Written communication creates documentation—even when it feels informal.
When possible, oral communication is safer.
If you cannot attend class, a brief in-person conversation or a message relayed through a trusted classmate is enough. Explanations are not required. Protect your privacy while staying academically engaged.
A Note to Students
Periods of policy change can create real stress and distraction. This page is not theoretical—it is practical. The goal is simple: protect your ability to stay enrolled, stay engaged, and keep moving forward academically. Small adjustments in communication and planning can make a significant difference in maintaining focus and stability.
Guiding Principles
Staying Focused, Connected, and Prepared
Know Your Rights
California has put together a clear, practical guide that explains what you can and cannot do if you witness immigration enforcement activity or if you are detained yourself. It walks through things like staying calm, documenting safely from a distance, understanding what counts as interference, and knowing your right to remain silent and ask for an attorney.
It’s completely normal not to know exactly what your rights are in these situations. That’s why this resource exists — so you don’t have to guess. Taking a few minutes to review it can help you feel more prepared, more grounded, and more confident about how to respond if something unexpected happens to you or someone you care about.
We encourage you to read it directly from the State’s official site and share it with your family if it feels helpful.
Local Legal Support (Free & Low-Cost Options)
Non-profit agency.
Offers employment support without questions about legal status. Some immigration services available; fees vary depending on service.
Free consultation; sliding-scale service fees. Supports naturalization, adjustment of status, asylum, and other immigration services.
Private organization.
Free consultations for low-income individuals; sliding-scale services available.
By appointment only.
Serves low-income individuals.
Assists specifically with U-Visa and DACA forms.
The following organizations were shared by Tri-City Mental Health (Pomona, La Verne, Claremont) as a public reference list. They are not affiliated with SACNAS or ULV, but may offer free or sliding-scale immigration services.
Most consultations are free. Provides support with U-Visas, citizenship, asylum, DACA, and general immigration services. Consultations available Tues/Thurs (8–10am) and Sat (8–11am).
Non-profit legal clinic.
Free consultation; sliding-scale options for family and humanitarian immigration cases.