Protocols for Outside Requests for Access to Campus and College Information

The following are protocols for requests for information and access to campus facilities or community members received from outside individuals.

Important notes: 

  • Swarthmore College is a private institution and can generally restrict unauthorized outside parties from  access to its private spaces. However, law enforcement officers and immigration agents may lawfully enter College-owned private areas with a judicial warrant or subpoena. They can also lawfully enter College spaces that are open and accessible to the public or where consent to enter has been given. In all cases, please contact Public Safety immediately for guidance about who may lawfully access any College property.
  • In every instance, the College will abide by legal requirements when responding to judicial warrants and subpoenas,  and other requests for information and campus access. When assessing all requests for information about students, the College will comply with requirements of The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Requests by Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agents

  • All requests (in-person or otherwise) for information and access to campus facilities made by immigration agents must be referred to Public Safety immediately.
  • In particular, if approached by an immigration agent who asks you for information and access to campus facilities, you should say: ”I am not authorized to consent to your request or accept legal documents on behalf of the College. I need to contact Public Safety and consult with the College’s attorney.”
  • You should:
    • Ask agents for credentials.
    • Ask agents to wait in the hall or outside.
    • Contact Public Safety 610-328-8333 immediately for assistance if you have been approached by immigration agents on campus.
    • Contact Public Safety immediately if you observe or have reason to suspect that immigration agents are present on campus.
  • Do NOT:
    • Do not accept service (or receipt) of a warrant or subpoena because you are not authorized to do so on behalf of the College.
    • Do not obstruct or interfere with the movement of immigration agents or law enforcement officials.

Public Safety (610-328-8333) is available 24/7, and serves as the first point of contact for all such requests on behalf of the College. Public Safety will promptly notify College attorneys in the Office of General Counsel to assess and respond to any requests for information or access by law enforcement and immigration agents. 

 

Protocols for Other Requests for Information

Requests by Attorneys or Government Agencies/Officials (not including law enforcement or immigration purposes)
  • If you are ever contacted by an attorney about a legal matter involving the College, please refer them to the Office of General Counsel immediately.
  • Requests for information received from government officials/agencies (not including law enforcement or immigration purposes) should be directed to the Office of General Counsel.

All other requests for information (employment verifications, record of attendance, directory information) that are not related to a legal matter should be directed to the appropriate College department, such as the Registrar's Office or Human Resources. 

Service of Legal Documents
  • During normal business hours, the Office of General Counsel is authorized to accept service of process of legal documents on behalf of Swarthmore College.  Outside of normal business hours and when the Office of General Counsel is operating off-campus, the Department of Public Safety is authorized to accept service of process on behalf of Swarthmore College. The Office of General Counsel is usually available Monday through Friday at 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. when the College is open for business. Public Safety is available 24/7.
  • If approached by a process server or any individual who asks you to accept legal documents on behalf of the College, you should "refuse service", meaning tell the process server that you are not authorized to accept any legal document on behalf of the College. Then, promptly inform the process server that they are to contact the Office of General Counsel or Public Safety.
  • If you have received a legal document relating to College business by mail or otherwise, please notify the Office of General Counsel immediately .

*Legal documents, such as a complaint, warrant, subpoena, summons, hearing notice, or any other notice of a legal order or proceeding, may arrive at the College by mail, or in some cases by a process server or a Sheriff. A process server is an individual who serves (or officially hand-delivers) notice of a legal process to a participant in that legal process. This practice is called "service of process." Usually legal documents relating to College business will be addressed to "Swarthmore College" or "The Board of Managers of Swarthmore College", but sometimes will name specific employees of the Swarthmore College community.

 

If you have questions about any of these protocols, please contact the Office of General Counsel.

Last updated: 3/18/2025. This page is updated as more information becomes available about the enforcement activities  of federal and law enforcement officials.

Disclaimer

The information and materials on this website is offered for informational purposes and is not legal advice. The office is available to assist the College community with College-related legal issues. The Office of General Counsel represents Swarthmore College only and cannot provide legal advice to students or employees of the College on individual and personal matters. If you have legal questions of an individual nature, please contact an attorney of your choosing, or seek an attorney referral from the Delaware County Bar Association, Philadelphia Bar Association, or the College's Employee Assistance Program, Carebridge (1-800-437-0911).