With the new administration assuming control of the day-to-day oversight of the Federal government in January 2025, numerous Executive Orders have been issued from the Office of the President. The University's leadership is actively monitoring the orders as they are published, in order to discern the impact on حوإ¼½م½م's role and function . As these impacts become clear, this page will serve as a source for all members of the St. Catherine community to use for updates and information.
These are challenging times, but we will navigate them together, guided by our values of inclusion, compassion, and care.
What we know: Immigration Enforcement
On Jan. 20, 2025, the federal administration rescinded prior guidelines restricting immigration enforcement actions in protected areas such as schools, churches, and medical facilities. This now means that immigration officers may now enter publicly accessible areas of campus during normal hours of operation.
In response to these developments, the offices of Student Life, Human Resources, Legal Counsel and Equity and Belonging are preparing training and informational sessions to equip our community with guidance and protocols. These sessions will be announced soon.
The offices of Student Life, Human Resources, Legal Counsel and Equity and Belonging are preparing training and informational sessions to equip our community with guidance and protocols.
Check back for dates, times, and locations of these sessions.
Stay calm. If others are present, encourage them to remain calm as well.
Politely state: “I cannot give you permission to enter or provide information. I am obligated to contact University administration before you proceed.â€
Immediately contact the Department of Public Safety at (651) 690-8888 or via the LiveSafe app. DPS will come to support you.
Notify University Administration (leave a voicemail if necessary):
- Legal Officer: Todd Schnell, 612-443-1914, twschnell325@stkate.edu;
- Human Resources: Latisha Dawson, 651-690-8103 ledawson536@stkate.edu;
- Equity and Inclusion: Jackie Font-Guzmأ،n, 651-690-6643 jnfontguzman597@stkate.edu; or
- Student Affairs: JoNes VanHecke, 651-690-6778 (office) or 507-720-4432 jrvanhecke016@stkate.edu
While waiting for University administration to arrive, you are not obligated to provide information to the ICE officer about yourself, or answer questions from the ICE officer.
University administration will take responsibility for addressing the specific circumstances once on-site.
If an ICE officer or any other officer proceeds to enter limited access or non-public areas without waiting for a member of the administration to arrive:
- Calmly inform them that you are not obstructing their process, but that you are not authorized to grant access and will need to contact Legal Counsel for assistance.
- You should not attempt to physically block or interfere with their actions, but do record your notes of the interaction with the officer and their actions.
What we know: Pause on Federal Grant Activity
In a January 27, 2025, Federal agencies were ordered to temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance. This pause was to go into effect at 4 p.m. Central time on January 28, but was temporarily blocked by a federal judge in the District of Columbia. A more permanent decision is expected from the judge on Monday, February 3.
On January 29, the Office of Management and Budget issued a memo , and is not seeking to freeze or pause federal financial assistance including, but not limited to, Pell grants and other financial aid for students.
Make Your Voice Heard
Your voice is a powerful way to illustrate how a decision made on paper has drastically different consequences when applied in real life. You may email or call the offices of your US Senator or member of Congress with your concerns about or support of any actions currently being taken or considered by the federal government.
Community Information
Information for Students
If you are a student feeling uncertain or directly impacted by these recent changes, we are here to support you, starting with the following campus resources:
- Counseling and Student Development: 651-690-6805 | counselingcenter@stkate.edu
- To access حوإ¼½م½م’s 24/7/365 crisis counseling line (in partnership with ProtoCall), dial 651-690-6805 and press 1 at the prompt.
- Center for Spirituality and Social Justice (Campus Ministry): 651-690-6724 | spiritandjustice@stkate.edu
- Office of Equity and Belonging: 651-690-6643 | equitybelonging@stkate.edu
Information for Faculty and Staff
If you are an employee feeling uncertain or directly impacted by these recent changes, we are here to support you.
Please contact your supervisor to discuss how this is impacting your work here, and what would be helpful.
Additional resources:
- Employee Assistance Program: 800-537-3543 or visit .