● While ICE or other law enforcement may physically enter public campus areas more
easily than private ones, they do not have the inherent authority to compel students to
identify themselves simply for being present in those spaces.

● There are legal and physical boundaries that define how law enforcement, including ICE,
can interact with individuals on campus. The distinction relies heavily on the accessibility
of a specific location and the level of privacy a person can expect there.
○ Public Spaces: These are areas where the general public is permitted to enter
and traverse without specific authorization. Examples include unlocked lobbies
(such as those in Buntrock Commons), sidewalks, and outdoor green spaces.
○ Private Spaces: These are areas with restricted access where an individual has a
reasonable expectation of privacy. Examples include dormitories, private offices,
and other secured spaces.

● Fundamental rights remain constant regardless of location:
○ No Obligation to Identify: Unless a student is operating a motor vehicle, they are
not required to identify themselves to law enforcement.
○ If a student is in a public or private space and is not suspected of committing a
crime, they do not have to provide identification or information to officers should
they encounter them.
○ In private spaces like dorms or classrooms, law enforcement typically requires a
warrant or specific authorization to enter. In public spaces, officers can move and
observe just as any member of the public would. However, the lack of a
requirement to identify oneself serves as a primary shield for students in both
environments, provided they are not engaged in criminal activity.

● The college builds its dining plan to provide students with sufficient meals and nourishing
options to fuel their health and learning. As a highly residential campus, the vast
majority of students live in residence halls and benefit from plans that provide a
significant number of meals.

● For townhomes, the college created a new meal plan for next school year that ensures a
baseline number of meals for those students, plus a larger amount of flex dollars that
provide both meal choices (through the Cage or Stav) or to purchase full meal options or
supplemental food through the Cave.

● Though the Cave is currently closed, the college is committed to finding options to
provide alternative food options for students this coming academic year based on
community feedback through the Dining Advisory Committee.

● St. Olaf works with a third-party investment manager to oversee and manage its
endowment. This partner is responsible for conducting comprehensive due diligence on
underlying investment managers, with Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”)
considerations integrated into the evaluation and selection process. While St. Olaf does
not apply a fixed set of prescriptive ethical screens, ESG factors are considered as part
of a broader, principles-based investment approach.

Beyond the land acknowledgement, the college has:
○ The Acts of Healing group, which formed in service of the Land
Acknowledgement St. Olaf established in 2020, advocated for the creation of a
smudging space as an actionable step toward inclusion for Indigenous
community members on campus. The space opened in Boe Chapel in 2025.
○ Hosted “Why Treaties Matter” exhibit along with a series of other events during
our sesquicentennial year in 2024.
○ Launched a new financial aid commitment for indigenous students
○ Developing closer connections with tribal communities in our state to recruit more
students
○ Conducting Internal research to better understand the college’s role in any
injustices

● St. Olaf’s commitment to the humanities remains strong and will continue to grow. We’re
expanding opportunities for students to engage in research that connects the humanities
with emerging digital technologies, supported by collaborations through the Center for
Interdisciplinary Research (CIR) and Collaborative Undergraduate Research and Inquiry
(CURI).

● As we strengthen and elevate our innovation spaces, the humanities will play an
increasingly central role. While national narratives sometimes question their relevance,
we see the humanities as foundational to a liberal arts education. They cultivate the
critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and interpretive skills essential for navigating complex
issues—especially as society grapples with the implications of artificial intelligence.

● St. Olaf takes a comprehensive, four-year approach to preparing students for life after
graduation, beginning with first-year onboarding and continuing through advising and
connected experiences in the first and second years (an approach highlighted in Jeff
Selingo’s Dream Schools).

● The OLE Core and academic majors work together to build the knowledge, skills, and
habits students need for success beyond college.

● At the center of the 2024–2030 Strategic Plan is “Liberal Arts Plus,” which intentionally
connects a liberal arts education with career and vocational pathways.

● The college’s goal is to develop “Solution Seekers,” with every graduate demonstrating:
○ Innovative thinking (applying knowledge to real-world problems)
○ Leadership of character (ethical decision-making)
○ Experiential learning (hands-on, applied experiences)
○ Cultural competence (ability to work across differences)
○ Engaged citizenship (active participation in communities)

● These outcomes are reinforced through experiential learning, including the requirement
that every student completes at least one OLE Experience in Practice (OEP).

● The college provides support to students seeking experiential learning opportunities
through the Smith Center (study away/abroad), CURI (undergraduate research), the
Svoboda Center for Civic Engagement (volunteer, community-based work study, and
ACE programs), and the Piper Center for Vocation and Career (internships). The Piper
Center also provides coaching and advising to support students’ vocational discernment
and career journey throughout their four years and ongoing support after they graduate.

● New and evolving initiatives include:

○ A coordinated credentials strategy, defining and documenting:
■ Macro-credentials (degrees, licensure programs)
■ Micro-credentials (often third-party certifications)
■ Work-integrated learning (paid or unpaid, credit or non-credit
experiences)

○ Expanded alumni engagement focused on mentoring students and supporting
career pathways

● Across all programs, St. Olaf is actively integrating questions about artificial
intelligence—its impact on teaching, learning, workforce needs, and culture—into the
curriculum.

● Ultimately, St. Olaf prepares graduates not only for careers but for meaningful lives,
emphasizing personal well-being, community engagement, and lifelong connection to
the college.

● St. Olaf’s “Medical Exception” policy (https://wp.stolaf.edu/thebook/medical-exception/) is
meant to make clear that student health and safety come first. If the College learns about
a student’s possession or use of drugs or alcohol because the student sought medical
help for themself, or sought help for another student in distress, the student will not be
subject to disciplinary action for that possession or use. In order for the Medical
Exception to apply, the student must be cooperative and honest about what happened.

● The exception ensures that students will not face disciplinary action for violating the
College’s drug and alcohol policy. It does not excuse other possible misconduct, such as
providing alcohol to minors, assault, property damage, or distribution of illicit substances,
and it does not prevent action by law enforcement or other third parties.

● Although no disciplinary action will be taken, a student seeking a Medical Exception will
meet with an Associate Dean to discuss the incident and any appropriate support or
follow-up. The purpose of that meeting is not punitive, but rather to address safety,
well-being, and responsible decision-making. Although students who qualify for the
Medical Exception will not be subject to disciplinary action for the drug or alcohol
possession or use, the College may still review the circumstances of the incident to
determine whether any additional non-disciplinary steps, support measures, or
safety-related actions are appropriate. This review is intended to promote student
well-being and campus safety, not to impose punishment.

● The College does keep incident records for compliance, safety, and liability purposes;
however, incidents handled under the Medical Exception policy are not maintained as
disciplinary records. Such records would not be disclosed in response to requests from
prospective employers or graduate schools for information about a student’s disciplinary
history.

● The bottom line is that students should call for help in an emergency. The purpose of the
policy is to encourage students to seek medical assistance without fear that doing so will
automatically result in disciplinary consequences.

● The college is looking into how to enhance the technology /payment options. Currently,
we can set up check-outs to use Flex dollars or credit/debit cards, but not both. We are
reviewing various optional business delivery models for the C-Store for next year –
including one that would utilize staffing.

● The benefit of utilizing a staff-free option is to provide the maximum number of open
hours (from the opening to the closing of Buntrock Commons) while minimizing operating
costs (which allows the dining program to enhance other dining programs). A staffed
option would most likely mean limiting the hours of operation.

● The college has two full-time staff members who are experts in working with international
student visas and processing questions

● Anytime any changes could impact our students, they receive communication

● The college has worked with departments to create additional jobs for international
students last summer (same this year–we already sent out a survey to them)

● The costs, tuition & fees, housing, and meals increase every year due to ongoing
investments in the St. Olaf experience and operations. The highest cost is the
investment in the faculty and staff who provide the education and services at St. Olaf.
These investments are in the form of annual wage increases and benefit costs. Ensuring
health care coverage to employees and the implementing the new State-mandated Paid
Family and Medical Leave program are two examples. Costs for campus operations like electricity, natural gas, water, and food continue to increase with need and inflation. To mitigate the impact of these rising costs, we have invested in a new solar garden and water cooling storage tower.

● Even with the total cost increases, the college remains committed to meeting 100% of
students’ demonstrated financial need.