Support for Students Affected by the Military Coup in Myanmar

Spring
2021
Resolution Number
20.03
 
Contact
Assigned to
Executive Committee
Category
Students
Status
Assigned

Whereas, The ongoing military coup in Myanmar has wreaked untold violence and devastation and has caused enormous psychological, emotional, and physical distress for citizens or born nationals of Myanmar, many of whom study within the California Community Colleges system;

Whereas, The military coup has caused personal and economic hardship for these students due to the shutdown of many Myanmar businesses, freezing of bank transactions, looting and destruction of citizens’ homes, and kidnapping, imprisoning, and murder of Myanmar citizens; and

Whereas, Access to the internet in Myanmar has been largely cut off, the use of educational apps and other technology is under threat of ban or restriction, and normal communication flowing out of Myanmar has been curtailed, threatened, and punished, greatly impacting students’ ability to meaningfully engage with their classes or to communicate with their colleges, professors, grant programs, classmates, and student services;

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges urge all colleges throughout the California Community Colleges system to demonstrate support for students from Myanmar, which may include but not be limited to such measures as the following:

  • issuing a public statement of support for students affected by the coup in Myanmar;
  • alerting faculty and programs to the need for sensitivity to students’ academic progress as a result of emotional distress;
  • providing emotional and psychological support unique to the needs of students affected by the coup in Myanmar;
  • providing reasonable accommodations for course material acquisition as well as flexible grading and providing options including the excused withdrawal (EW) or incomplete (INC) grades;
  • providing reasonable accommodations and support for student fiscal obligations; and

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with the California Community Colleges Chancellors Office to commit to learning more about Asian-American and Pacific Islander populations by disaggregating demographic data.

MSC