Good Morning Chair Kimbell, Chancellor White, Trustees, Campus Presidents, and Guests,

My Name is Zahraa Khuraibet and I currently serve as the 2020/2021 Cal State Student Association President. It is unfortunate that we can not meet in person but I am excited to be back here again serving in my new role. If I seem a little familiar to you, you might remember me from last year as CSSA Chair, but prior to that I have also served as Social Justice and Equity Officer and Board Member when I was CSUN Associated Students Vice President. I’m proud to say that I am an international student from Kuwait and a product of the CSU. As a double Matador, I completed my undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering and am now pursuing my Masters in Structural Engineering at Cal State Northridge.

I wanted to take a moment to introduce you all to an incredibly inspiring CSSA executive team. Diana Vicente is serving as Chair, she is pursuing a MBA at Cal State Northridge, Alondra Esquivel Garcia, Vice President of Systemwife Affairs, a 4th year double major in Political Science and Race and Resistance Studies at San Francisco State, and lastly Kathrine Pham, Vice President of Finance a 4th year Nutrition and Dietetics major at Cal State Long Beach. We currently have a vacancy for the Vice President of Legislative Affairs position and hope to have it filled next month. I wanted to also take another moment and truly thank Trustee Juan Garcia for his phenomenal leadership and service and wish him the best of luck in law school.

CSSA appreciates the opportunity to be here with you all and being able to provide an update on our work. I wanted to share with everyone my primary goal for this year. I want to use my position to ensure that the student voice is strong and present and to provide a platform for advocacy so that students from different communities can lead in the changes they want to see. It is absolutely critical that students have a seat at the table, particularly those from vulnerable populations that are often overlooked.

In this virtual environment comes a set of challenges that all students will be facing, not having in person components, whether it may be lectures, advisement or, on-campus activities, is disheartening. These are key factors in our ability to build relationships and strengthen our sense of belonging. We must focus on ensuring that the virtual experience is meaningful and enriching. Although the pandemic has drastically changed our lives, it has allowed us to become more inclusive and accessible with the ability to virtually participate.

Today I wanted to bring forth two crucial issues. I wanted to start by addressing the ongoing discussion on Ethnic Studies. We support our diverse student body and have a commitment to ensuring students are informed and well rounded by the time they graduate which is why ethinic studies is so essential. Ethinic studies enhances students’ personal and educational experience beyond our campus community. It is a vital academic program that values the intersectional lived experiences of people of color, and to develop the skill to critically analyze communities outside their own. Though we do not have an official position on the CSU’s proposal, Last year’s Board of Director took a support position on AB 1460 by Assemblymember Weber. We look forward to our continued work on this issue with the Chancellor’s Office staff and all of our 23 campuses.

On July 6th, 2020, the fate of thousands of international students across the CSU and nation became catastrophically uncertain. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released a memo stating international students must return to their countries if they are unable to take an in-person course. The announcement came a month before the CSU and other universities were set to begin their fall semester, mostly in a virtual environment to limit the spread of COVID-19, leaving thousands of students without any true guidance to proceed.

This decision was not only arbitrary but harmful to the mental and physical well being of international students, staff, and faculty of the CSU. International students were left with two grim choices, voluntary leave or deportation. As an international student myself, this decision had left me in a state of crippling stress and anxiety. Like many others, I came to study in the U.S. to create a better future for myself, and the amount of uncertainty I experienced in the past few weeks forced me to consider otherwise. I have spent the last five years of my life pursuing both my bachelor’s and Masters in Engineering; and the thought of having to pack my bags and leave at a moment’s notice, and not by my own choice, is earth-shattering.

This announcement was not considerate of the fact we are still in the midst of a global pandemic. The implementation of these modifications would have left international students to face many obstacles, such as difficulty planning a return flight on extremely short notice, dealing with closed borders and heavy travel restrictions, the high risk and danger of contracting COVID-19, financial burdens such as commitments to rent/lease and other bills, strict technological access and attending class at odd hours.

Thankfully, the decision was later rescinded, giving me and other international students nationwide, a much needed sigh of relief. However we must recognise that international students are still at risk so we must continue our advocacy in ensuring their health and safety is always a priority and that must be extended to all other vulnerable students.

We are fortunate that leaders in higher education quickly took action to protect international students, including our own system. I wanted to thank the Chancellor’s Office and Chancellor White for their immediate communication in reassuring and that the CSU was actively doing everything they possibly could to protect international students. I also would like to thank the CSU and California Community Colleges for working alongside California Attorney General Becerra.

I want to acknowledge that this was only possible because we all collectively worked together under one united cause, this brings much needed hope during a time of crisis. It brings hope that we can overcome any obstacle together and I strongly believe that if we continue with that standard of advocacy, we can ensure CSU students receive the best possible education.

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