Elvira Reyes took to the Internet to fight for two of the most important people of her college career at Purdue Northwest because without them, she and other first-generation students assuredly would’ve been lost.

With Iris Sanchez, director of the Office of Hispanic Serving Institution Initiatives; and Darrien Thompson, director of Student Success and Urban Engagement as their champions, the Black and Hispanic students at PNW had a place to fit in and celebrate each other, Reyes, 22 of Lowell, said. If she couldn’t save Sanchez and Thompson from the campus’s chopping block — cut because of the “sunsetting historical DEI activities and initiatives” that Purdue University announced May 30, the duo’s last day is June 30 — she at least hoped her Change.org petition would save the employees in their respective offices so that incoming and continuing students alike would have a safe space to navigate what for many is an overwhelming experience.

But instead of opening a dialogue with campus leaders, the newly graduated Political Science major says she’s been blocked from contacting administrators from her personal email and from commenting on the school’s social media accounts. And she’s not the only one, she said.

Reyes, who goes by Vivi, started college in West Lafayette but found its campus too daunting, and she often felt nickeled-and-dimed for everything she wanted to do, she told the Post-Tribune. She transferred to PNW in 2023 and liked it immediately.

“It was so easy to get involved on campus, and I noticed that I didn’t have to pay $30 to be in a club. I got involved in student government and the Hispanic Student Club,” she said. “I then found the Office of Hispanic Serving Institution Initiatives — or Somos, as it’s called — through a logo contest, and from there was introduced to McNair (a federally funded program that allows the campus to “provide graduate educational opportunities for students who have traditionally not been part of the educational mainstream of American society,” according to the school’s website). It was easy to find your place.”

It was also a godsend for a student whose parents couldn’t really help her navigate college because they were just as unfamiliar with the process and culture as she was, she said.

“My mom didn’t understand any of it, and I’m not the only one whose parents don’t have the college experience. Nobody tells you about the resources out there, and we need that help,” she said.

Once PNW received its Hispanic Serving Institute designation from the U.S. Department of Education in 2024 for having at least 25% of its core undergraduate population identifying itself as Hispanic or Latino — PNW hit more 27% in 2024, up from more than 25% in 2022-2023, according to its website, Reyes thought they would see more of the funding that comes with the designation. A friend of hers in the office quickly disabused her of that notion at the start of the school year, however, she said.

Then came graduation; the Hispanic Club, with help from Somos has hosted a separate small, largely symbolic graduation for the Hispanic and Latino students before the all-campus ceremony the past few years. They were told the school would not be funding any part of it this spring, she said.

“It’s such a simple little thing; there were 30 to 40 of us, and we give each other stoles (to wear along with other graduation regalia). We weren’t even asking for cupcakes or campus photo shoots,” Reyes said. “I was so upset. And Chancellor (Kenneth) Holford has been to our ceremonies before. Why didn’t he support us?”

Finding out through someone on campus that Sanchez and Thompson were getting let go at the end of the month was the last straw, Reyes said. On June 9, she launched her petition — which was up to 1,074 signatures June 28 — to try to save the women’s jobs and sent it through a school social media page to reach the entire student body. In it, she demanded their reinstatement, “transparency about the decision-making process behind their removal” since the campus didn’t publicly announce their removal and “protection of the offices, programs, and equity work they built.”

“… the university continues to fund multi-million-dollar projects like a $40+ million downtown ‘Innovation District’ in Hammond, $29 million residence hall, The Roberts Impact Lab, backed by $7.7 million in funding, along with the Internal funding up to $20K,” she wrote in the petition. “This is not just a staffing change. This is erasure.

“PNW cannot claim to value diversity while firing the very leaders who made that diversity meaningful.”

Since then, at least one student account was removed from that page, and several other students have been blocked from commenting on another campus-affiliated social media page, she said.

“It’s so middle-school,” Reyes said.

It also could constitute a First Amendment violation, as Purdue University is a publicly funded school, said Chris Daley, executive director for ACLU-Indiana. He hopes that anyone being blocked from social media is only an error on the school’s part.

“I don’t know any facts about this situation, but generally, with an official page or site within a university, you can’t block its population from participation, because that would be a disciplinary action against free speech,” Daley told the Post-Tribune. “Even with social media pages tied to a school, they can either allow comments or turn comments off so no one can comment, but they cannot selectively block individuals. An administrator’s personal page, on the other hand, could block individuals.”

Daley said attacks on education are the worst they’ve been in at least 40 years, and as an organization, the ACLU is “incredibly concerned” that students, faculty and visitors to campuses aren’t being afforded their right to speak freely. And it’s not limited to public colleges, as Attorney General Todd Rokita has threatened action against Notre Dame over its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion practices.

“It’s hard to imagine the number of attacks from all different angles that colleges are enduring right now, but at the end of the day, they have an obligation to protect themselves and their populations from these attacks. I hope more universities start fighting back,” Daley said.

When asked whether PNW has blocked any students because of Reyes’ petition, Spokeswoman Kris Falzone said it hasn’t.

“Purdue University Northwest student email accounts are and remain active and would not be disabled,” Falzone said in an email. “PNW is committed to free and open inquiry in all matters.”

Nevertheless, students are increasingly frustrated and saddened by what they feel is their existence being extinguished. One student, who asked that her name not be used for fear of retaliation, feels like the school used her to get what it wanted.

“My picture was used in campaigns for our Hispanic Initiatives, and I was always participating in tables advocating for the Somos program. Now, it feels like I was exploited,” she said. “I cried for days when I heard about (Sanchez and Thompson) being let go because they were such a big part of my college experience.

“When the new provost (Marie Mora) was hired, we were hoping that she would’ve fostered more transparency about issues. They could’ve at least given us notice, and now, students are scared to speak out.”

Rafael Manzo Jr., of Gary, is an incoming student for the 2025-2026 school year. His plan is to spend a year at PNW before transferring to a school in Washington D.C., and he chose PNW because of how friendly the school was to minorities.

Upon learning of the dismissals, he’s now “really disappointed.”

“It’s a slap in the face,” Manzo said. “When I go to school in D.C., it’s going to be predominantly White, so I was happy I was transitioning from high school to college in a place where I was going to be around my culture, plus the affordability. This feels like abuse.”

Neither Sanchez nor Thompson could be reached for comment, but Sanchez issued the following statement through Reyes:

“Working at the largest Hispanic Serving Institution in Indiana has been one of the greatest honors of my career. Our students represent the future — not just of higher education, but of our region’s workforce and economy. When we invest in their success, we invest in stronger communities and a more competitive, educated state.

“Research shows that a sense of belonging drives academic success and motivation. That’s what our work is about: creating spaces where students feel seen, valued, and supported. Practitioners like myself bring both expertise and heart to this mission, helping to ensure that every student has the opportunity to thrive. The relationship between the university and its students is symbiotic — we grow together, and we succeed together.”

Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.