POINT LOMA — Point Loma Nazarene University has updated its campus policies regarding federal immigration enforcement to comply with California’s newly enacted Senate Bill 98.
In a Jan. 28 email to students, PLNU President Kerry Fulcher explained how the university will notify the campus community if immigration officers are ever confirmed to be on site.
Lora Fleming, chief of staff and associate vice president of communications and public affairs, said the email provides clearer guidance to students, faculty and staff about how to respond.
“SB 98 mainly adds a notification requirement when immigration enforcement is confirmed on campus. It also gave us the opportunity to provide clearer direction to faculty, staff and students about what to do if they’re ever approached by an immigration agent. Outside of that, our core protocols have not changed,” Fleming said.
The university continues to follow the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Fleming said, “which generally prevents us from sharing a student’s personally identifiable information, including immigration status, without consent, and we remain committed to honoring constitutional protections on our private campus property, including Fourth Amendment safeguards. Any requests for access or documentation are still handled by designated university personnel in consultation with legal counsel.”
Under SB 98, universities must alert students, faculty and staff once immigration enforcement presence is confirmed. “The law does not prescribe a specific format or exact timing beyond confirmation, but our intent is to communicate promptly once we have verified information,” Fleming added.
She confirmed that no enforcement activity has occurred on campus to date.
In his email, Fulcher noted that while immigration agencies may legally patrol areas adjacent to campus — such as Lomaland Drive or nearby public parking lots — PLNU’s policies govern what happens on university property.
The university has established internal procedures for interactions with federal officers. Students and faculty are not required to provide information directly, and officers are referred to designated administrative personnel. On the main Point Loma campus, that location is Mieras Hall. Other PLNU campuses have similar arrangements, including at Balboa (east entrance lobby), Bakersfield (back lobby area), Liberty Station (entrance) and Mission Valley (main entrance lobby).
PLNU has coordinated with other institutions for the consistent implementation of SB 98.
“We’ve remained in regular communication with peer institutions, most of them here in California, to ensure we understand the requirements clearly and are implementing the law thoughtfully and consistently,” Fleming said.
SB 98, which will remain in effect through Jan. 1, 2031, is part of a statewide effort to ensure universities notify their communities when federal immigration enforcement is present.
