2026-2027 Resolutions, Motions and Initiatives

The Faculty Senate approved the following resolution on September 30, 2026: 

WHEREAS constitutional protections are the bedrock of democratic governance, and when specific rights and court orders are ignored, trust in government plummets and democracy itself is at risk;

WHEREAS a spring 2026 analysis of 11,400 detainee lawsuits against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) found that federal judges ruled in 90% of the cases that the detentions were illegal;

WHEREAS the problems judges identified in these cases include: absence of due process, unlawful use of force, unlawful search and seizure, unlawful arrest or detention, unlawful profiling, unlawful denial of legal counsel, untrue testimony (perjury), and unlawful violations of court orders;

WHEREAS the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits law enforcement, including federal officers, from entering non-public spaces (such as residence halls, classrooms, faculty offices, etc.) without a judicial warrant;

WHEREAS Northwestern University has yet to provide substantive guidance on this issue of continuing importance to the safety of members of our community, including students, staff, faculty, and Evanston and Chicago residents;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED

That the Faculty Senate calls on Northwestern’s leadership

First, to insist that no Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers are allowed in any non-public spaces on either the Chicago or Evanston campus without a signed judicial warrant. 

Second, to provide Know Your Rights trainings for students, staff, and faculty regarding constitutional protections against unlawful search and seizure, unlawful suppression of speech and assembly, unlawful use of excessive and unreasonable force, and unlawful punishments that are cruel and unusual, as well as constitutional amendments that protect everyone’s right to due process, right to legal counsel, and right to privacy.

Third, to protect student, faculty, and staff records; to require legal review before responding to an ICE information request; and to establish a contact person or office responsible for handling inquiries and trainings. 

Fourth, to adhere to existing city and state “welcoming city” laws that serve to protect everyone’s constitutional rights.

The Faculty Senate approved the following Committee on Cause members on September 30, 2026: 

• Nasrin Qader, Associate Professor, French and Italian (WCAS)— Chair
• Nick Cianciotto, Professor, Microbiology-Immunology (Feinberg)
• Kent Grayson, Associate Professor, Marketing (Kellogg)
• Mark Alznauer, Associate Professor, Philosophy (WCAS)
• Sameer Ansari, Professor Radiology (Feinberg)
• Laura Beth Nielsen, Professor, Sociology (WCAS)
• Angelique Duenas, Assistant Professor, Medical Education (Feinberg)
• Keith Tyo, Associate Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering (McCormick)
• John Bailitz, Professor, Emergency Medicine (Feinberg)
• Debabrata (Debu) Chakravarti, Professor, Ob-Gyn (Feinberg)
• Jacqueline Stevens, Professor, Political Science (WCAS)
• Shawn Vondran, Professor of Instruction, Non-Tenure (Bienen)

The Faculty Senate approved the following standing committee chairs on September 30, 2026: 

• Andrea Graham, Associate Professor, Medical Social Sciences (Feinberg): Budget and Planning
• Nasrin Qader, Associate Professor, French and Italian (WCAS): Committee on Cause
• Danny M. Cohen, Professor of Instruction, Non-Tenure (SESP): Community Affairs
• Pouya Jamshidi, Assistant Professor, Pathology (Feinberg): Educational Affairs
• Jacqueline Babb, Senior Lecturer, Int. Marketing Communications (Medill): Facilities and Sustainability
• Ana Maria Acosta, Associate Professor, Phys. Thpy. and Hum. Mov. Sci. (Feinberg): Faculty Rights and Handbook
• Helen Tilley, Associate Professor, History (WCAS): Governance and Policy
• Branden Ghena, Assistant Professor of Instruction, Non-Tenure (McCormick): Information Technology
• Axel Mueller, Professor of Instruction, Non-Tenure (WCAS): Non-Tenure Eligible
• Pablo Durango-Cohen, Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering (McCormick): Research Affairs
• Cat Fabian, Clinical Assistant Professor, Non-Tenure (SoC): Salary and Benefits
• Eric Sirota, Clinical Professor, Non-Tenure (Pritzker): Social Responsibility
• Karen Springen, Professor, Non-Tenure (Medill): Student Affairs