BREAKING: Univ. Leaders Write to Senators in Support of DREAM

To show their support for the DREAM Act, eight leaders of institutions of higher education in Mass.—including University President Drew G. Faust—co-signed a letter sent to the state Senators yesterday.

The letter is signed off by the presidents of Harvard, Tufts, Boston University, Northeastern, MIT, UMass, Boston College, and the chancellor of UMass Boston. Addressed to Senators John F. Kerry and Scott P. Brown, the message urged for the support of a "critical measure that will assist thousands of students in Massachusetts and across the country to reach their full potential and contribute to their home communities."

Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid introduced last week the possibility that this legislation—known as the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act—would make its way to the Senate floor today. If passed, the DREAM Act would provide qualified undocumented youth with a six-year conditional path to citizenship upon the completion of two years of higher education or two years of military service.

"Each of us is deeply committed to access and believes that education and service are the pathways to better neighbors, stronger communities, and economic growth, as well as personal satisfaction and happiness," the letter stated. "The DREAM Act will offer them and us the potential of harnessing their full talents on behalf of all of us."

Faust, the first co-signer of the letter, has been consistently vocal about her support for the DREAM Act. In May 2009, Faust wrote a letter in support of the legislation to Mass. Rep. Michael E. Capuano. Faust also met with Brown, who has remained ambivalent about his position on the legislation, in part to urge him to support the DREAM Act.

Nicolas E. Jofre '13, co-director of Harvard College Act on a Dream, a campus organization that promotes equality for all immigrants, said that it was the President’s office that took the leading role in contacting the other universities attached to the letter.

"We hope that [this letter] will encourage [Senator Brown] to vote in favor, considering that the leading universities in Massachusetts are urging him to protect his student constituents this week," Jofre said. "The DREAM Act is not an issue of immigration reform anymore, it’s a basic human rights issue."

"If our Senators aren’t listening to the world’s leading institutions of higher learning, then there is something very wrong with Congressional response to the educational needs of my generation," he added.

As part of a trip to Washington, D.C. last week, Faust met with Illinois Sen. Richard J. Durbin to discuss the Act and share her appreciation for his support for the proposed legislation.

"[This letter] is the fruit of all our hard labor," said Melissa V. Perez '13, co-director of Act on a Dream. "This is the greatest thing that we feel [Faust] could have done for the movement. We are endlessly appreciative of her and of the student support at Harvard."

—Staff writer Xi Yu can be reached at xyu@college.harvard.edu.