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08-20-2009, 09:24 PM
RALEIGH – Illegal immigrants could soon be allowed to take classes at North Carolina's community colleges once again.
The State Board of Community Colleges' Policy Committee is writing a policy that would allow illegal immigrants to enroll. Last year, North Carolina's community colleges temporarily closed their open-door enrollment policy, banning illegal immigrants from taking classes.
“We found it was not a negative expense to the state to admit these undocumented immigrants,” explained Dr. Stuart Fountain, chairman of the Policy Committee. “We did find the state actually had a slight benefit from the out-of-state tuition.”
Under the proposed policy, illegal immigrants would have to pay out-of-state tuition, which is five times the cost of in-state tuition.
“These students do pay more than the cost of instruction,” Fountain said. “It is not going to be a huge revenue windfall because it will be a small number of students. Think about it: These students are going to have pay five times as much as other students are paying. That is a very limiting factor on how large this group will be.”
Some groups fear the high cost will keep smart students from being able to get a college education.
“Under federal law, it does prohibit states from allowing students to pay in-state tuition,” explained Milinda Wiggins, with the Adelante Education Coalition of North Carolina and Student Action with Farmworkers. “But a number of states have challenged that and are currently allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition.”
Wiggins believes it's important for these students to continue their education so they can become productive members of society.
“Some of them have been here longer than folks who are citizens or have legal permanent resident status,” she said. “They are going to contribute to North Carolina. They are going to live here. They are going to be our bilingual teachers and bilingual nurses. I think we want to give them every opportunity.”
As part of the drafted policy, illegal immigrants would not displace legal U.S. residents in any classes or programs of study.
“We think, in all fairness, the undocumented immigrant should not displace a student who is legally in this state and enrolled in our colleges,” Fountain said.
The Policy Committee meets again Thursday. They hope to have the new undocumented student admission policy adopted by next spring.
http://news14.com/content/local_news/triangle/613514/community-colleges-may-admit-illegal-immigrants/?ap=1&Flash
I think(and this is JMO) its disgusting that they allow illegal immigrants the same rights we have. If they are "so smart" as the article says then WHY THE FLIP are they not becoming legal and doing it the "smart" way???
The State Board of Community Colleges' Policy Committee is writing a policy that would allow illegal immigrants to enroll. Last year, North Carolina's community colleges temporarily closed their open-door enrollment policy, banning illegal immigrants from taking classes.
“We found it was not a negative expense to the state to admit these undocumented immigrants,” explained Dr. Stuart Fountain, chairman of the Policy Committee. “We did find the state actually had a slight benefit from the out-of-state tuition.”
Under the proposed policy, illegal immigrants would have to pay out-of-state tuition, which is five times the cost of in-state tuition.
“These students do pay more than the cost of instruction,” Fountain said. “It is not going to be a huge revenue windfall because it will be a small number of students. Think about it: These students are going to have pay five times as much as other students are paying. That is a very limiting factor on how large this group will be.”
Some groups fear the high cost will keep smart students from being able to get a college education.
“Under federal law, it does prohibit states from allowing students to pay in-state tuition,” explained Milinda Wiggins, with the Adelante Education Coalition of North Carolina and Student Action with Farmworkers. “But a number of states have challenged that and are currently allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition.”
Wiggins believes it's important for these students to continue their education so they can become productive members of society.
“Some of them have been here longer than folks who are citizens or have legal permanent resident status,” she said. “They are going to contribute to North Carolina. They are going to live here. They are going to be our bilingual teachers and bilingual nurses. I think we want to give them every opportunity.”
As part of the drafted policy, illegal immigrants would not displace legal U.S. residents in any classes or programs of study.
“We think, in all fairness, the undocumented immigrant should not displace a student who is legally in this state and enrolled in our colleges,” Fountain said.
The Policy Committee meets again Thursday. They hope to have the new undocumented student admission policy adopted by next spring.
http://news14.com/content/local_news/triangle/613514/community-colleges-may-admit-illegal-immigrants/?ap=1&Flash
I think(and this is JMO) its disgusting that they allow illegal immigrants the same rights we have. If they are "so smart" as the article says then WHY THE FLIP are they not becoming legal and doing it the "smart" way???