College Policy & Student Rights

Transparency & Divestment. We support student calls for urging the William & Mary Foundation to make private investments records public. Once public, we urge the university to divest from companies that operate at the expense of marginalized people and contribute to environmental ruin domestically and abroad. We understand that many of these investments are determined by state law, but we will stand with and encourage students to continue to have their voices heard by the administration AND state legislature. We encourage students to look beyond W&M and become involved in coalition-building organizations throughout Virginia for the potential of even greater legislative impact. 

See: Divestment Referendum, Virginia Coalition for Human Rights

Breaking traditions. We will urge William & Mary to cease upholding traditions of racism, despite promising to eliminate them from W&M’s culture in 2020. For example, honoring Glenn Youngkin who opposes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion with an Honorary Degree, glorifying Chancellor Henry Kissinger, and maintaining titles of buildings named after individuals that do not share the current values of the university.
See: Va. Governor Glenn Youngkin to speak at W&M’s Charter Day ceremony, Students oppose honorary degree for Glenn Youngkin at Charter Day Ceremony

Free Speech and Privacy Violations. We promise to work with the Office of Student Leadership Development and the Dean of Students Office to provide visibility for student social justice organizations and other groups that struggle with free speech and privacy violations, especially those that have struggled in the past year. 

Staying informed. We plan to revive the Student Rights Initiative and publish protesting guides to ensure that students know their rights and can exercise their freedom of speech in a way that protects them from violating university policies and the law (free speech areas, silent indoor protest, etc.). With the SRI, we propose developing educational programming through Student Assembly, Recognized Student Organizations, Fraternity & Sorority Life, and Residence Life to ensure all students know how to assert their rights when confronted by the police.

Student Advocacy. We plan to develop an Undersecretary/Liaison to William & Mary Police, Title IX, Compliance & Equity, etc. Position to ensure that students’ privacy and 4th amendment rights are not being infringed upon and to guarantee that we have advocates year-round. We believe Student Assembly should be in the know and have strong relationships with the administrators within these offices—especially those in a position to prosecute students.

See: Students Rights Initiative

Reviving the Plan. In addition to the SRI, we will advocate and work for the re-activation of the committees under “The Plan”: The Reparations Committee, The Police Policy Project, The Academic Diversity Project, and Contextualization of Campus Landmarks and Iconography. We will work towards making sure these committees are allocated funding to conduct research within Williamsburg and the greater Historic Triangle. We will ensure that cabinet secretaries, interested Senators, and relevant offices are involved in navigating school policy and supporting the work produced by these committees.

See: The Plan, CCL&I

Student Workers. If you have worked a student or work-study job on campus, you know how confusing and demeaning the communication and negotiation can be. Students are often not properly notified of campus jobs or which jobs are considered “work-study.” This confusion particularly impacts FGLI students, international students, part-time students, and graduate students. However, any student could find themselves trying to find a campus job. 

We propose advocating for increased transparent communication between offices hiring students and TribeCareers. In addition, we propose partnering with the W&M Law School to make students aware of how to advocate and negotiate for fair wages and necessary labor rights. Student workers deserve to be treated with dignity. All workers deserve to be treated with dignity.

See: UO Student Worker Strike, Student Unions on the Rise  

Streamlining, restructuring, updates, and more. With Grace Ferrara (‘24), the Secretary for College Policy and Student Rights, Terra and Oscar have established a student work group with the Title IX Coordinator, Jenelle Jobs, within the Office of Compliance and Equity to strengthen and streamline bias reporting mechanisms at William & Mary. At present, our attention is directed towards enhancing the Compliance & Equity website and enhancing its clarity by enhancing the information contained within it, as well as ensuring there is a streamlined way to report bias incidents.

We commit to continuing the work of this work group and propose expanding it to include student leaders in and outside of Student Assembly. We promise to keep communicating with campus offices to make sure that information is easy to find and fair, especially in regard to bias incidents, and that websites are regularly updated.

See: W&M Discrimination and Harassment, W&M Title IX