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news
Bill paves way
for undocumented
By Melissa Anderson
Summer On-line Forty-Niner
Assembly Bill 540
could make it possible for undocumented California high school
graduates to attend college.
The Senate Appropriations
Committee is scheduled to vote on AB 540 on Aug. 27. If the
bill is approved it will move to the full state senate for
approval.
Those who are supporting
AB 540 include Assemblyman Marco Antonio Firebaugh, a number
of city officials, janitors and their families.
According to Ricardo
Lara, legislative assistant, Firebaugh was an immigrant himself,
and understands the plight of immigration. Firebaugh came
to the U.S from Tijuinna and grew up in Baldwin Park.
"He understands
that immigrants have it twice as hard," Lara said. "They
have to learn the language, and go to less fortunate schools
and they still succeed."
If passed an undocumented
student attending a California high school for three or more
years and graduated, would be eligible to pay in-state college
tuition.
"Under federal
law we can't give benefits to undocumented residents without
giving it to residents," Lara said. "Our argument
is that this would keep immigrant students on a higher standard,
because they have this mandatory high attendance for high
school."
Currently, undocumented
or international students have to pay high out-of-state tuition
fees no matter how many years they have lived in California.
This poses a problem
for students whose parents are immigrant low-wage workers.
This essentially means that a college education is not an
option to these low-income families because of the high price
tag.
According to the
Center for International Education at CSULB the international
tuition fees is as follows: the amount of units they are taking
are multiplied by $246, then there is an $872 basic fee added.
For example, if a student is taking 12 units his or her unit
fees equal $2,952. On top of this they must add the
$872 basic fee which brings tuition to $3,824. This amount
often discourages a number of low-income families to the point
they never plan on trying to go to college.
Deniz Coruslu is
a junior at CSULB and a student assistant in the International
Education Center. She came as an international student from
Turkey, and has been paying the out-of-state amount for three
years. Her father almost received his green card years ago,
but had to go back to Turkey.
"It was easier
years ago," said Coruslu. "My father went to Tufts
University in Boston and was working on his masters. They
were going to hire him as an assistant and sponsor him for
his green card, but he had to go back."
According to the
CSULB Office of Institutional Research's Web site, 2,889 students
were of immigrant status in the year 2000, out of the 26,136
students attending the university,.
If AB 540 is passed
there is hope that more immigrant students will be able to
afford to further their education.
"We have had
support from CSU and the city colleges," Lara said. "If
you look at it, the university's are losing money because
these students can not afford the tuition at colleges. If
this bill goes through it will mean more resident tuition
for the universities."
According to Lara
the only other state, Texas, has a similar law. Supporters
of AB 540 are hoping the bill will pass by October 14. This
is the last day the governor could sign or veto the bill.
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