Jason Serang (junior, Political Science) was kicked out of a meeting with DREAMer students scheduled to meet with congressional District 10 Congressman Jeff Denham on Wednesday afternoon in California State University, Stanislaus (Stan State).

Serang was initially invited to attend the meeting by Janice Curtin, Interim Associate Vice President Communications & Public Affairs. Serang stated that Curtin invited him to attend this meeting twice, once at a campus immigration meeting and another at Denham’s recent town hall meeting.

Prior to the arrival of Denham, Curtin announced that there was no photography nor audio recording allowed of the meeting with the congressman and the DREAMers. Curtin had announced that this was due to the protection and privacy of the students who were invited to the meeting and who are considered DREAMers.

As Denham entered the Mary Stuart Rogers (MSR) building, he was approached by Adam Webber (junior, Political Science) who proceeded to introduce himself and asked if other students would be allowed to meet with him as well.

Denham did not answer only shook his hand and walked in. According to Webber Curtin said “Only invited guests are allowed in and you have to respect the congressman’s time,”

Webber expressed that the “congressmen works for us, his constituents. We do not work for him, but they proceeded to walk in.”

He was quickly met with Curtin intervening and telling Webber to be respectful of the time students had set aside to meet with Denham as he walked to the room in silence.

As Serang attempted to enter with Webber as his guest, they were both denied entry to the private event hosted by the Admissions and Outreach Services department.

“She told me she had invited me before she knew my name wasn’t on the list,” Serang said as he waited to ask Curtin why she had initially invited him only to be denied entry.

Later, the congressman emerged with two Stan State officers and several men dressed in suits being escorted to another nearby vehicle while being trailed by members of a local activist group, Our Revolution.

Further details are not available regarding Denham’s visit to the campus other than him meeting with DREAMer students of Stan State.

Afterward, an argument between Serang, Webber and Curtin took place outside of MSR where Curtin stated that “it wasn’t my place to invite Serng to the the meeting.”

Serang and Webber asked Curtin to arrange another meeting with the congressman so that it would be open to all students.

“If you want to set up a town hall meeting and invite some of our politicians to come I will happily extend the invitation,” Curtin responded to Serang and Webber’s suggestion.

Curtin finished the conversation by stating that she can invite him but she has no control over him accepting the invite. She walked away into the building ignoring anymore questions from Webber.

Vice President for University Advancement Michele Lahti and Dean of Students Matthew Lopez-Phillips approached students to address their concerns regarding the way Curtin had handled the meeting.

Serang and Webber made it clear that they wanted a meeting with President Ellen Junn as soon as possible to express to her their frustrations.
Both Lahti and Phillips made it clear that they would work with the president to make sure she meets with the group of students who were not allowed into the meeting to address their concerns.