By Nick D’Antonio and Sofia Malaspina

Note: At the request of the Students’ Council Co-Presidents, all town hall participants are kept anonymous throughout this article for their safety. 

On Monday, April 7th at 5:30 p.m., students gathered in the VCAM for a town hall titled “Navigating the Federal Landscape.” The event was hosted by Students’ Council Co-Presidents Victoria Haber ‘26 and Yehyun Song ‘25 in conversation with President Wendy Raymond and Dean John McKnight. In an email invitation to the student body, Haber and Song wrote, “Students, families, and communities are actively losing their rights to education, expression, and existence in America,” and urged students to attend the town hall, share their perspectives, and hold the administration accountable.

The town hall addressed two main themes: funding and safety. The Co-Presidents introduced each theme and posed general questions to Raymond and McKnight before opening the floor for audience questions. Haber and Song emphasized the event’s anonymity and discouraged photography to ensure students felt comfortable asking questions. The VCAM space was packed with students, who filled the lounge and kitchen areas and extended into the balcony above. 

Theme 1: Funding

At 5:37 p.m. the Co-Presidents began discussion on the first theme, which focused on federal funding for the college and summer programs. Song opened with a statement addressing student concerns about the recent uncertainty stemming from government actions, including issues related to FAFSA, DEI, Pell Grants, and other federal funding that directly impact the student body.

Raymond discussed the financial implications of possible changes in federal funding, asking the students, “Where do you see at Haverford the least important ways we spend money?” proposing that the students communicate these opinions with the administration so funding could be reallocated from lower priority areas to higher priority areas if there were a decrease in federal funding.

In his opening remarks, McKnight thanked the students for coming and stated that he wished he was speaking under better circumstances. He emphasized that, as Dean of Haverford College, his primary role is to advocate for the student experience.  Finally, McKnight stated that setting budget priorities is an ongoing challenge that now has become even more difficult since it overlaps with the changing federal landscape.

Concerns Regarding Budgeting 

Raymond admitted that she is aware that some students’ summer research opportunities off-campus were taken away due to budget cuts from other institutions. However, she reassured the student body that financial aid commitments would be kept because, “We meet 100% demonstrated need for every student who comes to Haverford. That is an absolute sacred promise.” 

If federal funding were to be stripped, Raymond claimed that she would aim to fundraise $5 million to provide interim funding while trying to find other sources of long-term funding for the College to replace lost federal dollars. As an alternative, Raymond stated that, “Liberal arts colleges, like ours, which are relatively wealthy, can afford to break this partnership with the federal government if we must,” suggesting that if the federal government were to strip Haverford of funding or take action that did not align with Haverford’s core values, that, “we can do this on our own.” 

Student participants then started to ask questions, both in-person and through Zoom. The first student asked how much of the budget the senior staff controls versus the Board of Managers. Raymond explained that budget decisions first go through the senior staff and are then recommended by Raymond to the Board of Managers, which approves the College’s annual operating budget. 

The second student asked how the humanities and social sciences departments would be affected by the aforementioned budget restrictions, highlighting how the Political Science department was already suffering set-backs. Raymond answered that she doesn’t anticipate an impact at all through those departments. She asked the student what evidence they were basing their question on, and explained that the expansion of some department’s funding relies on enrollment in the respective department’s classes. Raymond also indicated that “humanities and social sciences are thriving,” stating that the largest class size currently is a Classics course.

Another student presented evidence of the second student’s question; they advised that the Political Science department lost two tenured professors with no replacements. As a result, their senior thesis group now holds nine students, an abnormally high number. Raymond acknowledged this and told the student that one new Political Science professor had been hired for the fall. 

Financial Stability

A student wondered how the college’s endowment would be insulated in the event of a recession. Raymond reassured the student that the endowment is “relatively insulated” and that there is a policy regarding how that endowment is invested in private and public equities. “By that diversity alone, we have some buffering. No matter what happens, we are always looking at the long term for our investments,” she continued. She admitted that the endowment will have “ups and downs,” and if it does happen to go down, the operating budget will be decreased accordingly. 

Around 6:05 p.m., no other students had questions in line to ask McKnight or Raymond, so the town hall progressed to the next section.

Theme 2: Safety

At 6:06 p.m., the Co-Presidents introduced the second topic, Safety, which addressed concerns of international students, undocumented+ students, LGBTQ+ students, and student protestors. McKnight first applauded the work of his colleagues working with these groups before stating that the current federal administration intends to “sow seeds of fear and hatred” among communities like Haverford. When the floor opened up for questions at 6:28 p.m., a line of students had already formed behind the microphone. Many fought back tears as they asked their questions, which were often met by loud applause from the audience.

A Clear Protocol For Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

In light of the federal administration’s promise of mass deportations and the rise in college students targeted by ICE, McKnight discussed current protocols regarding ICE and what students should do if they encounter an ICE agent on campus. “We have been making clarifications to our protocols,” McKnight stated. If a student is ever approached by an unknown figure, McKnight stated, “It’s actually very simple. Call Campus Safety. You as a student should not be in the position to be responding to someone that shows up on campus.” 

Raymond stated that “this is a terrifying time in this regard” and reiterated the importance of calling Campus Safety. She encouraged students to “role play with your friends” in preparation for such events, which caught a few students off guard. She then stated that a judicial warrant is the only legal warrant that would compel Campus Safety to take action. 

Two staff members who work with international and undocumented+ students spoke during the town hall. The first staff member acknowledged that their work hasn’t been transparent due to safety concerns but that an ICE campus protocol document is in the works. “I will do everything I can to prepare you even though I cannot give you safety or security,” they stated. “We will issue an emergency card, enrollment confirmation for every student.” The second staff member indicated their fear of putting information into an email in the case that privacy is breached. “Right now, it matters what gets written down.”

On April 8th, a more comprehensive protocol was posted to Haverford College’s official Instagram account. This post urges students not to accept any subpoenas or warrants–which can only be accepted by designated staff–and to refuse ICE agents access to dormitories and any other access-controlled campus buildings, which are considered non-public areas on the College’s private property. 

Student Lists: What the College Tracks and What It Doesn’t

McKnight assured students that he does not keep records of undocumented+ students or individuals involved in protests, and therefore would be unable to provide names if requested. While he acknowledged being aware of certain students who have participated in protests, he noted that compiling a comprehensive list would not be possible. When asked whether lists could be created based on student organization membership, McKnight responded, “It is not true that we have lists of students involved in every organization. That is not a cop out. For some clubs and organizations that is up to date but for others it does not exist at all.” McKnight added that Campus Safety keeps their own conduct records, which are used for internal purposes only. Raymond stated that any existing lists held by the College would only be released in response to a subpoena. When asked directly if there are cases in which Haverford would go to court to challenge such subpoenas, Raymond responded, “Yes.” 

Haverford’s Relationship with the NCAA

A student asked about President Trump’s executive order, “Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports,” and if Haverford’s policies will change regarding transgender athletes. McKnight responded that the College is beholden to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as long as it wishes to keep its affiliation as a Division III school. Raymond clarified that as executive orders are not legislation, they do not have power on their own, although they have influence. After another student asked about the College’s relationship with the NCAA, McKnight clarified, “We can walk away from the NCAA. Part of what we would rather do is advocate with our conference and ask them to be inclusive of all athletes.”

A Loss of Trust in College Personnel

Many students who approached the microphone to ask questions of Raymond and McKnight expressed distrust and frustration towards Haverford’s administration. 

One student vocalized their disappointment in the administration’s decision not to uphold a Fall Plenary 2022 resolution calling for Haverford to be a sanctuary campus. The resolution aimed to protect undocumented+ students from threats in all campus spaces. “What can you say to the student body right now to instill a sense of hope, security, and trust in this school that we all love?” the student asked, followed by a loud applause from the audience.

“It’s heartbreaking to know that your trust has been lost in that way,” responded Raymond. “I cannot protect us from everything that’s coming from the outside,” she continued, implying that safety to students cannot be guaranteed, whether Haverford claims sanctuary status or not. McKnight acknowledged that “trust is not easily built, but easily destroyed.” Explaining why the administration chose not to implement the resolution, McKnight stated, “those kinds of gestures or symbolic statements absolutely place a target [on Haverford].” 

Another student asked why the town hall was being held now, given that news of Trump’s return to office had been known since November 2024. “There’s been no action from you guys, who are sitting right here. I am not seeing that, it is more talk than action,” the student said. Raymond stated that most of her work is behind the scenes but that she’s glad to be a part of these current conversations. She also referenced Haverford’s signing of an amicus brief supporting race-conscious admissions in 2017, noting that such action “is something we will likely do again in the future.” 

While inquiring about student communication with Haverford’s Board of Managers, one student stated, “You keep answering questions in a way that doesn’t respect us and avoids actually answering the questions.” Raymond apologized and said that students can communicate concerns through the student representatives to the board. 

The final student speaker raised a question about Political Science professor Barak Mendelsohn, asking, “Barak Mendelsohn tweeted the day after the election: ‘Working at Haverford College, an institution infested with antisemitism, I also wouldn’t mind the deportation of non-citizen faculty who are anti-semetic and/or supportive of Hamas and Hezbollah’ …How will you ensure faculty and staff members won’t actively harm and decrease protection of students on campus including undocumented students, visa holding students, and student activists on campus?” 

The student was likely referencing a post made by Professor Mendelsohn to X (formerly Twitter) on November 11, 2024. In response, McKnight said he was unaware of the post and added, “If Barak decides to turn his own list over, I’d like him not to do that. And I don’t actually think he has the power or wherewithal, as I said there are no lists to begin with.” 

At this point, a student from the back chimed in, which prompted McKnight to clarify, “If I said power, what I mean is access to lists. To my knowledge, there is no access to lists.” After this statement from McKnight, no further questions were taken. 

Importance of Community

The Co-Presidents concluded the town hall at approximately 7:30 p.m., following a 30-minute extension to accommodate student questions. Song noted that the strong student turnout reflected their care for one another and stressed the importance of continuing these conversations. “When we are together we can create change,” he said. “I want you to believe that.”