Aloha Yellow Jackets,

Recently, it’s been hard to run into others at Georgia Tech without the topic of recent federal and state actions coming up. I have been in a series of ongoing conversations with students and student leaders for the last several weeks, culminating this past week in a series of two SGA-hosted forums and two open town halls sponsored by my office. I continue to so admire the leadership, commitment, and passion of Georgia Tech students, and I am deeply honored to serve as your vice president for student engagement and well-being at this time in our collective experience.

I am mindful as well of the consensus opinion piece offered by the Technique on February 14^th.  This newsletter will reflect the content of the conversations that I’ve had with students and the feedback I have received by using a Q&A format, recognizing that oftentimes in important matters, face-to-face conversations – where we can benefit from the crucial non-verbal aspects of dialogue – can be more effective than the written word.

Please note that this communication effort is not a one-and-done: in the coming weeks and months, we will continue to offer town halls for Yellow Jackets to share their reactions, reflections and recommendations as we navigate these uncertain times. As always, you can also send me your feedback and input by emailing vp_sewb@gatech.edu.

Question 1: What are the current changes happening at the state and national level?

The core federal directives we have been considering include two Executive Orders issued by the White House on January 20^th and on January 21^st, as well as a Dear Colleague Letter regarding Title VI compliance disseminated by the US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR). We note that a temporary injunction has been placed on implementation of several aspects of these EO’s; this injunction does not impact the Dear Colleague Letter. We know additional court actions will be filed by all sides of the issue in the coming weeks. There is no clarity at this time on the final outcome, but we will continue to monitor.

Additionally, the Georgia State Legislature is considering a bill (Senate Bill 120, or SB120). This still has a long process to undergo before it potentially becomes law, so again, we will keep tracking its journey through the legislative process.

Against this context, Georgia Tech has been evaluating our student support programs and services; this is happening in Academic Affairs, Research, the colleges, and here in Student Engagement & Well-Being. We all recognize that as a public university, we are obligated to comply with federal mandates, state laws, and Board of Regents policies, even as we strive to preserve our core purpose and live by our espoused values.

Question 2: What are the consequences of non-compliance? 

Universities risk receiving a complaint filed with the Office of Civil Rights that turns into protracted action with that agency. Responding to these investigations consumes a lot of staff time and effort, that could be better directed at supporting students – not to mention they result in a lot of anxiety and stress.

Furthermore, institutions of higher education that do not comply could lose federal funding – dollars which support student federal financial aid programs such as Pell grants and work-study, as well as help pay for assistantships, internships, and research opportunities for graduate students via grants.   Depending on the outcome of various lawsuits, Georgia Tech’s federal research portfolio could also be at risk. In total, Georgia Tech benefits from over $1 billion in federal funding. Given this, we take compliance with federal and state laws, as well as University System of Georgia Board of Regents policies very seriously.

Question 3: What is Georgia Tech doing in response?

One important aspect of leadership is to project future trends impacting our field – to the best of our ability - and proactively respond to them as strategically as possible. This challenge is never easy but ideally, this response should be guided unwaveringly by our mission and strategic priorities. To reiterate, we remain deeply committed to supporting the holistic success of every Yellow Jacket. Analyzing student data on student outcomes related to belonging, engagement, wellbeing, retention, and graduation, then offering activities, interventions, and initiatives accordingly to maximize success for all students is important to fostering academic success.

In reviewing our programs and services, we are making sure we operate within applicable civil rights laws and are consistent with prohibitions against discrimination on the basis of race or any other protected class.  At the same time, we want to maximize our capacity to implement Institute strategic priorities, including Big Bet 1, “Be a national leader in outcomes and value for all students.”

Within Student Engagement & Well-Being (SEWB) we are restructuring some functions (including our resource centers) into a new unit, Belonging and Student Support, reporting administratively to the Associate Vice President for Arts, Belonging & Community. Existing programs and places will be reviewed and adjusted as needed to ensure they align with federal guidance. Many existing signature events will continue; some examples include Black History Month and the Women’s Leadership Conference. Similarly, the Office of Disability Services in the Division of Student Life will continue to provide academic accommodations to students with documented disabilities; we are also working to expand our testing capacities.

New initiatives may be created in Belonging and Student Support to address unmet student needs. We will design and deliver activities, events, programs, and services that meet students’ various learning styles, unique needs, and differing life experiences, and we will make clear that programs are open to all Yellow Jackets, as they currently are. In this new unit, we will continue to support the individual students and student communities we now serve - while expanding support of others as well, including, but not limited to Pell grant recipients, transfer students, international students, and commuter students. #Both/And

This new unit allows us to continue advancing Georgia Tech’s educational mission by holding up what we do best: promoting belonging, fostering students’ holistic development, and facilitating their academic success. With this change, we strongly reaffirm our commitment to the values in our strategic plan and to all of our students – no matter their background, identity or viewpoint. 

Question 4: When will all this take place?

The Dear Colleague Letter indicates enforcement will begin March 1^st. Aspects of this redesign will go into effect today, Friday, February 28^th, at close of business. Initial changes students will experience starting Monday, March 3^rd include new signage, updated web and social media content, different email signatures, and revision of selection criteria for awards and scholarships. However, what will not change is our continued commitment to help every single student at Georgia Tech achieve their educational aspirations and be transformed by their time here with us.

Please note that elements of this reorganization will be in process throughout the coming weeks and months; we strive to respect and honor the contributions, dignity, legacy and service of our colleagues, students, alumni, and stakeholders who will be most directly impacted by this change. To this end, we will schedule more town halls and open forums to seek student insights and guidance on how to best implement this redesign.

SEWB, Academic Affairs and the colleges will also continue to assess and review all aspects of our activities, programs, and services to ensure we are compliant with prevailing state laws and federal regulations, while maintaining our commitment and capacity to help all students achieve their educational aspirations.  As the situation evolves, we will continue to update you.

Question 5: What about student organizations?

Neither the Executive Orders nor the Dear Colleague Letter in any way curtail students’ constitutional rights of association and freedom of expression. As such, student organizations will continue to have broad latitude in their activities, events and communications. Mandatory student fees supporting student activities and events remain available to student organizations. Georgia Tech's processes for allocating student fees to student organizations meet the legal criteria of (1) being available to all student organizations, regardless of their mission or purpose, and (2) being distributed in a viewpoint neutral, i.e., without regard for the content or speech in the activities and events being funded.

Funding that comes from Institute administrative units is being reviewed to make sure any Institute-supported sponsorships for student organizations is also clearly viewpoint-neutral.

Question 6: It seems like there is still a lot that is unclear regarding the Executive Orders and the Dear Colleague Letter. Why is Georgia Tech seemingly engaged in preemptive compliance rather than waiting until we have more certainty?

We do not know where all the court and legislative actions will ultimately land in the coming months. By proactively reviewing and redesigning our functions and initiatives, we have an opportunity to reflect on and redesign our programs and services in a way that best advances our educational mission, while continuing to be in compliance with the law and with government guidance.

Closing Thoughts
I want to close by acknowledging that during this time of change and transition, members of our community are likely experiencing a divergent range of emotions and reactions; we are a large, complex community comprised of people with many ideas, perspectives and political viewpoints – this variance is one of our strengths as an Institute.  We remain committed to all of you, no matter who you are and what your background or beliefs may be.   

Our current context is rapidly changing on a daily basis. As the situation continues to evolve, I will provide further updates via this monthly newsletter. Most importantly, regardless of the changes facing us in the future, we will continue to analyze and act strategically, as well as do our very best to enroll, retain and graduate as many Georgia Tech students as we can. We are so proud to educate and develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition – here in Georgia, across the US, and around the world!

As always, the staff across Student Engagement & Well-Being are ready to actively listen as well as offer support, guidance, resources, and referrals as needed. Please continue to take care of yourself and each other and reach out to us as needed. #StrongerTogether #TheHiveSurvives