Our Commitment
Uncompromising, undeterred, unbiased — the University of San Francisco is committed to helping undocumented students bolster their future as citizens of the world.
We're speaking out for students who are inspired to change the world from here.
Working Group to Support Undocumented Students Statement
Undocumented students face a host of unique barriers to enrolling and graduating from college, including financial, academic, legal, social, emotional, and spiritual challenges. The Working Group seeks to truly assess the needs of this population and how best we faculty, staff, and administration can support these students not only in meeting the requirements for graduation but also in their developing their whole selves. Drawing on the tradition of Ignatian spirituality, we at USF have a responsibility to ensure that we are meeting the needs of all of our students and an assessment of this particular student population is critical to those efforts.
USF Statement
"As a Jesuit institution of higher learning, like many Jesuit projects for the past four and a half centuries, we like to stand with our two feet straddling frontiers and boundaries: between faith and reason, between charity and justice, between the past and the future, and always, between cultures and countries. We have a long tradition of the service of faith, constituent to which is the quest for justice, improving social structures so that it is easier for people to glimpse the divine within the mundane. Providing an education to students who are the descendants of immigrants from long ago alongside students who come to USF from abroad to study is a great example of this Jesuit preference. So too is our practice of educating 'DREAMers,' students who themselves stand with one foot each in two worlds, though often precariously."
USF President, Paul J. Fitzgerald, S.J
Association of Jesuit College and Universities (AJCU) Statement
First, that Catholic Social Teaching is clear in its insistence that every human person deserves dignity and opportunity to better one's state in life.
Second, we recognize that the history of Jesuit institutions of higher education in this country is inextricably linked to first- and second-generation immigrant populations.
Lastly, we continue to affirm that Jesuit colleges and universities are morally committed environment, where our students are inspired and encouraged to understand and address issues of justice, fairness, political involvement, and a preferential option for those whom society has marginalized. We will continue to support our students -- both documented citizens and not -- as full members of our campus communities and of society at large, where their voices and personal narratives deserve to be acknowledged.
Download the full statement and signatories at the following link: AJCU President's Statement PDF.
Statement on SCOTUS DACA Decision
June 18, 2020
In solidarity with other Jesuit universities, the USF Working Group to Support Undocumented Students commends the June 18 decision by the Supreme Court of the United States to overrule President Trump’s attempt to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA protects about 700,000 young people - Dreamers - from deportation, including many USF community members, and provides them with a work permit that can be renewed every two years. Although new applications have not been accepted since September 2017, those who already had DACA status prior to this time have been eligible to renew their status through a $495 filing process. The Supreme Court decision provides extended respite to thousands of people who are students, parents of U.S. citizens, essential workers, taxpayers, and integral members of our communities.
While we applaud the ruling, we also recognize that this is just a small, but necessary victory for the overall fight for immigrant rights in the United States. DACA was never meant to be a permanent solution, but rather a stopgap measure ordered by President Obama in 2012 to protect vulnerable, young immigrants until a path to citizenship for Dreamers could become law. To that end, we urge Congress to act quickly and decisively to pass comprehensive immigration reform that paves a clear and just path to citizenship for the 10-12 million undocumented people who are critical to the success of our society and our economy.
Take Action to Protect DACA Recipients »
Those who are seeking to understand more about what the SCOTUS decision on DACA means can visit DACADecision.com.
We encourage and invite students, staff, and faculty to actively participate in educational opportunities to learn about the experience of the undocumented community and engage in thoughtful advocacy in their particular spheres of influence. This moment provides an important opportunity for us to analyze the services we provide, improve our teaching methods, and critically examine the ways in which we acknowledge the presence of our undocumented community, holistically serve their needs, and intentionally contribute to their success.
The Working Group to Support Undocumented Students will continue to aid in the development of a campus community that allows undocumented students, staff, and faculty to thrive. As a clearinghouse of information, resources, advising, and development opportunities, we encourage our fellow campus members to share helpful resources with us by contacting diversity@usfca.edu. For more information, visit our website.
The following faculty and administrators are dedicated to helping undocumented students navigate the university. Whether a current or prospective student, these individuals are a great resource for you to ask questions and seek support. Rest assured, they will handle your personal inquiry with the utmost care and confidentiality.
Working Group to Support Undocumented Students (WGSUS)
| NAME | POSITION | Contact EMail & phone |
|---|---|---|
| Arnoldo Valdivieso-Martinez |
Working Group Co-Chair |
avaldiviesomartinez@usfca.edu |
| Genevieve Negrón-Gonzales |
Working Group Co-Chair |
gnegrongonzales@usfca.edu |
| Al Meza | Psychologist, Counseling & Psychological Services |
meza@usfca.edu |
| Ester Marquez Perez |
Program Director, First-Generation Initiatives & Academic Success Coach |
emarquezperez@usfca.edu |
|
Stephanie Carlos |
Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, USF School of Law |
shcarlos@usfca.edu |
| Simon M. Flores |
Associate Dean for Retention and Persistence Programs |
smflores@usfca.edu |
|
Daniel Cordial |
Academic Success Coach |
dhcordial@usfca.edu |
Campus Contacts
Professor Melisa Garcia
Program Director, Chicanx-Latinx Studies
Professor Genevieve Leung
Program Director, Critical Diversity Studies
Telephone: (415) 422-6674
Sabrina Kwist
Associate Vice Provost, Antiracism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI)
Telephone: (415) 422-2821
Lori Prince
Director of Financial Aid
Telephone: (415) 422-3675
USF ALUMNI contacts
Gabriela Garcia
Class of 2018, School of Law
Miriam Uribe
Class of 2017, College of Arts & Sciences
Telephone: (714) 261-8856
Herlin Solo Matute
Class of 2018, College of Arts & Sciences
Monica Valencia
Class of 2018, School of Law