BSU President Sends Letter To Faculty, Staff and Students Due To Recent Refugee Resettlement Vote

On Friday, January 10th, Dr. Faith C. Hensrud, Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College president, sent out a message to all BSU students, faculty and staff to “reaffirm” them of the schools commitment of its shared fundamental values.

The letter stems from the recent action taken by the Beltrami County Board of Commissioners, when elected officials voted on President Donald Trump’s executive order on local involvement in refugee resettlement.

Hensrud has been the president of both colleges since 2016 and is stated that her commitment to student success comes from her own experience as a first-generation college student.

Hensrud’s letter states:

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

Welcome to the start of the Spring 2020 semester. As we begin a new decade it is very appropriate to reaffirm our commitment to our shared fundamental values. This is especially appropriate in light of a recent action taken on Tuesday, January 7, 2020, by the Beltrami County Board of Commissioners when they opted out of accepting refugee resettlements by a vote of 3-2. This vote has garnered local, state and national attention, and many have voiced their opinions on this matter.

I write today to assure you Bemidji State University is firmly committed to the success of all BSU community members — including our immigrant and international students, faculty and staff we are so fortunate to welcome onto our campus and, in many cases, into our homes each year. This commitment is encoded into our DNA as one of our four Shared Fundamental Values: to promote global and multicultural understanding in everything we do. These values are unwavering, and are a vital aspect of our shared mission to instill and promote respect and appreciation for the diverse peoples of our region and world.

Rest assured, Bemidji State University will stay true to our values and will enthusiastically advocate for the success and well-being of all members of our community, wherever they may reside — in the Bemidji region or across the globe.

As an institution of higher education, this recent vote creates opportunity for us to lead by example, to illustrate through our words and actions our determination to see that every human being living in our communities is treated fairly, and is afforded the opportunity to live with dignity and respect.