Presented by Maggie Maghoney and Cecilia Lopez at the ACA & APSA Professional Development Conference on 2/17/11. Presenters discussed how student affairs professionals can tailor their services to address the unique needs of undocumented students - from enrollment and financial aid to academic advising and career planning - to ensure that they have a successful college experience.
4. Terminology 1. Bernal, S., & Chuan-Ru Chen, A. (2010, March 8). Practitioner advocacy to improve undocumented student success [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from NASPA Annual Conference Archives website: http://archive.naspa.org/conference/cfp/coord/upload/2010%20NASPA_upload.ppt
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11. Sustaining and Supporting Sustaining and tailoring current resources and practices to support the unique college experience of undocumented students.
Negative v Positive connotation – more than just being politically correct, undocumented students deserve respect just like anyone, and the use of rude, negative, or offensive terminology is a basic way to show your support
Undocumented students are protected under FERPA
Maggie?
DREAM Act – Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act Good moral character – no run ins with the law, no serious criminal history Conditional Nonimmigrant Status – eligible to work, drive, go to school and other similar activities House bill – 2 5 year conditional status periods, Senate bill – 1 10 year conditional status, then they would adjust to legal permanent resident status if they had met all criteria Introduced first in 2001 for the 107 th congress, then during the 108 th , 109 th , 110 th , and now 111 th congress sessions Sen Richard Durbin (IL) and Sen Harry Reid (NV) are two main promoters of the bill Previously tacked to defense bills, recently was hoped to be offered as a single piece of legislation
1982 Supreme Court case education laws in Texas in 1975 withheld state funds for educating children who had not been legally admitted to the United States and authorized local school districts to deny enrollment to such students. Court ruled that undocumented children must be provided access to a free public education because citizens and potential citizens cannot achieve any meaningful degree of individual equality without it. The Court held that undocumented children in the United States should not forfeit their education because of their parents’ decision to immigrate illegally. Denying education to children who cannot affect their parents’ conduct or their own status would impose a lifetime hardship on them for their disabling status. The Court further stated that educating children, regardless of their immigration status, is essential for creating individuals who can function in society and contribute to the development of the United States. IIRIRA 1996:
Approximately 300 students enrolled at UT under HB 1403
We are invested in the education and development of all students. Because of the political nature of the status of undocumented students, as professionals we must work to avoid any politics and simply strive to include and support this unique student group. Some feel that the investment of resources on this particular group of students is politically inappropriate; as a professional, reaction and reflection to this charged issue while working would be inappropriate. As a means to avoid any controversy, we do not have to invest new resources. Instead, we can tailor our current services to specifically support these students with what we already offer. We can also work to become more informed and prepared about their specific needs. This puts politics aside and puts the student first. ”
Students battle feelings of shape, trepidation, anger, despair, uncertainty, marginalization derived from experiences of discrimination, anti-immigrant sentiment, fear of deportation, systematic barriers. Socioemotional development affected by poverty, violence, lack of resources, discrimination that affect substantial number of low-income minority children, but also cary the extra layers of systematic barriers that prevent them from enjoying all of the social and financial benefits that society has in place for legalindividuals. Examples: access to scholarships, driver’s license,
Reach out to students early Provide scholarship opportunities Help them understand their options after graduation Students are not eligible for academic support programs funded by the federal government
Undocumented students are not eligible for federal student aid Found a handful of good resources---that you can incorporate