What did the college agree to?
Building upon Bard College's long history of providing educational opportunities for displaced students and faculty, and acknowledging both their important intellectual and cultural contributions to the College and the specific challenges these students face:
We reaffirm our commitment to provide housing year-round, which includes free fall semester, winter break, and spring semester housing for students who come to Annandale through the Refuge Program. Summer housing will continue to have an associated charge, subsidized by active ongoing fundraising.
We reaffirm our commitment to providing meal plans to on-campus Refuge Program students during the academic year and to support food solutions during winter break.
We reaffirm our commitment to assisting our displaced students in the Refuge Program with year-round on-campus employment subject to applicable visa restrictions. This will be achieved through an interactive process of counseling with individual displaced students and based on their specific needs.
Review and update acceptance letter templates and website materials with current and former displaced students beginning with the next admission cycle.
Commit to expansion of awards in community action and service as well as exemplary academic achievement for Refuge Program students.
A transparent accounting in open meeting format of all funding sources and
expenditures for Refuge Program students, subject to applicable privacy rights and principles, each semester for the next two years (subject to renewal).
Commitment to conducting across-community comprehensive survey (or conditions assessment) with expert consultants on existing counseling services at the College. The goal of this report is to ensure access to culturally competent mental health professionals who specialize in the specific traumas faced by Refuge Program students.
Progress as of [date]: