Immigrants
Struggle To Go To College; For
Undocumented Students, Measure Offers A Way To Pay
By Aurelio Rojas, The Sacramento Bee, August 29, 2006
Sent by Zeke Hernandez zekeher@yahoo.com
(Santa Ana, CA) - It's Friday night, party time for many
college students. But inside a cramped conference room, Minerva Gomez has
a serious agenda to plow through. Analyses of proposed immigration
changes, government affairs, outreach, fundraising -- she's considering
issues of profound importance to Gomez and other students who are
illegal immigrants.
As the chairwoman of the Orange County Dream Team Coalition, one of a
network of support groups that have sprung up since California opened
state universities and colleges to these students, she is familiar with
tight schedules.
Gomez, 22, maintained an A-minus average at California State University,
Long Beach, while working full time as a waitress on the graveyard shift.
She recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology and
sociology.
Gomez -- who was 5 when her parents left Mexico and illegally entered the
United States -- is a beneficiary of Assembly Bill 540. The 5-year-old
measure, which has come under attack in the courts and
Legislature from critics of illegal immigration,
allowed her to attend college for the same in-state
tuition charged legal residents.
"I was one of the fortunate ones because AB 540 came in right as I
was starting school," Gomez said during a break from her group's
weekly meeting at Santa Ana Community College. "Without this bill, I
could not have gone to school."
Legislatures around the country are cracking down on illegal immigration;
more than 77 anti-immigration laws have been enacted this year, according
to the National Conference of State Legislatures. At the same time, some
states are improving access to higher
education for students who have distinguished themselves.
Nebraska recently joined nine other states, including California, Texas,
New York and Illinois, that allow illegal immigrants to pay in-state
tuition at their public institutions.
But unlike Texas, California does not allow these students to apply for
financial aid. Moving through the Legislature this week is Senate Bill 160
by Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, which would end this prohibition.
The law would apply to students who are attending college under AB 540,
the measure by the late Assemblyman Marco Firebaugh, D-South Gate, that
then-Gov. Gray Davis signed into law in 2001.
To be eligible for in-state tuition, a student must have attended a
California high school for three years and received a diploma or
equivalent and met entrance criteria.
The law also requires students to sign an affidavit stating they have
applied to become legal residents or will do so if they become eligible.
In the California State University system, out-of-state fees run about
$10,000 more than in-state fees per year. At the University of California,
there is a $15,000 surcharge. At California's community colleges, in-state
fees run about $78 per course, while out-of-state students pay $500.
Advocates say that even with AB 540, many high-performing illegal
immigrants who would otherwise attend college have been unable to do so
because they are not eligible for aid.
At UCLA, where tuition alone costs more than $2,300 a quarter, members of
a group called IDEAS (Improving Dreams, Equality, Access and Success) have
been making
telephone calls to round up support for the financial aid measure, said
Carol's Montes.
Montes, who co-founded the campus counterpart to the Orange County Dream
Team, works up to 30 hours a week in an AB 540 outreach program and as a
lab assistant
to pay her tuition.
"Everyone has stress figuring out how to pay for college, but for us
it's more embedded because we have fewer options," said Montes, a
senior. The daughter of a carpenter and a homemaker who have raised five children,
Montes was 4 when her parents entered the country illegally from Honduras.
She graduated at the top of her high school class and is majoring in
physiological sciences at UCLA. Her older sister is an AB 540 student at
California State University, Northridge.
In a state where Latinos have the highest school dropout and poverty
rates, the sisters are the exception rather than the norm.
Indeed, most of the students who register under the guidelines of AB 540
are not illegal immigrants. The law also applies to legal residents, for
example, whose parents moved out of state when they were high school
seniors, or who attended boarding school elsewhere.
Only 371 students enrolled in the UC system during the 2005-06 academic
year were undocumented immigrants admitted under AB 540. The CSU system
does not keep a
tally.
Most of the students who have taken advantage of the law attend the
state's community colleges. During the first 2 1/2 years of the law, more
than 18,000 did so.
But Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-San Diego, and other critics allege it violates
the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act. The
measure bans states from granting rights to illegal immigrants that do not
apply to every U.S. citizen.
Bilbray, who rode anger over illegal immigration to an election victory in
June, has two children who graduated from high school in Virginia. They
are paying out-of-state tuition to attend college in California. Bilbray, his two children and 40 out-of-state students attending
California colleges are challenging the law in a suit filed in Yolo
Superior Court. A decision is expected any day.
"You have a sitting member of Congress with children who are totally
documented and are still being required to pay out-of-state fees,"
Bilbray said. "That's not right."
But Robert Rubin, legal director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights
in San Francisco, maintains the law does not violate federal law because
tuition
benefits are not restricted to illegal immigrants.
All you have to prove is that you are a California high school graduate
who has spent at least three years in a California high school.
Rubin, who is representing AB 540 students in the case, has advocated for
these students since the 1980s when he successfully argued they could
attend school
as residents.
In 1990, a court ruling determined that these students must pay
out-of-state costs and do it without financial aid. AB 540 reopened
campuses to illegal immigrants.
"These kids have overcome such great obstacles, they really represent
some of the most industrious individuals that the state has," Rubin
said. "They are kids who -- whether legal or not -- are going to
remain in this state."
Assemblyman Bill Emmerson, R-Redlands, does not disagree these students
embody heartwarming stories. But their presence on campus, he said, is
wrong.
"I think it's unfair -- not just to California students -- but
residents from adjacent states who can't come in here at the same tuition
rate," Emmerson said.
Like Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks, Emmerson has introduced
legislation to repeal AB 540. Both were unsuccessful.
Antonia Rivera, a member of the Orange County Dream Team Coalition, is
familiar with their arguments.
Rivera, 24, was 6 when she arrived from Mexico with her parents.
A recent graduate of the University of California, Irvine, she plans to
use her education to contribute to the only country she has ever known.
"If I'm going to change the world, I want to begin with my
house," she said.
|
| Nearly 2 million U.S.-born
children of immigrants, 18-24, are not yet registered to vote.
Nearly 2 million U.S.-born children of immigrants,
18-24, are registered to vote.
More than 1 million additional U.S.-born children of
immigrants will be eligible to vote 2008.
In California alone there are 1 million U.S.-born
children of immigrants ages 18-24.
Source: Taking Latinos from the Streets to the Polls, article by Paloma Esquivel, The Nation. Posted September 25, 2006. Sent by Howard Shorr
howardshorr@msn.com
|
 Book: "Beneath the Shadow of the Capitol"
Many of us as Hispanic,
experienced life altering discriminatory experiences in Austin, Texas both
in school and in the community in the 40’s and 50’s. Because of this,
many Mexicans, (as we were called), were forced out, flunked out, or
intimidated out of school. This happened in Jr. high, and continued in
high school. Many faced menial employment all their lives, or joined the
military to survive, and to help their families.I have written a book detailing life in Austin during that period.
"Beneath the Shadow of the Capitol" There is history in this book that many, many people are not
aware of. For a recommendation by Frank Sifuentes and more on the book,
please, click.
Thank you, Ramon Moncivais
5110 Meadow Creek Drive
Austin, Texas 78745
Ph. 512.441.4900
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Latino Students Receive Less Financial Aid for Higher Ed
by Marisa Trevino, http://latinalista.blogspot.com
September 1, 2006 Sent By: Howard Shorr howardshorr@msn.com
An interesting survey in today’s USA Today found that financial aid at
public flagship universities aren’t keeping pace with tuition increases.
Though tuition increased by about 34 percent, the increase in aid only
amounted to 17 percent.
According to Jamie Merisotis, president of the Institute for Higher
Education Policy, a Washington D.C. think tank, the findings are
especially troubling because it indicates that the ability to pay is
eroding – especially among the low-income students.
That’s an interesting point since Latino students have always had to
struggle with the high cost of education – even with financial aid.
Among all the ethnicities, Latinos receive the lowest average amount of
financial aid awarded—by type and source of aid.
In a breakdown found at the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Latinos were found
to receive:
the least financial aid ($5,999) of any ethnic group.
Sector: Latinos received the least federal aid ($4,644) and the least
non-federal aid ($3,328) of any ethnic group.
Grants: Latinos received the smallest grant awards ($3,486) for their
education of any ethnic group. Latinos received the smallest federal
grants ($2,113) of any ethnic group, except whites, and received by far
the smallest non-federal grants ($3,017) of any ethnic group.
Loans: Latinos received larger loans ($4,168) than African Americans
($4,070) or Asian/Pacific Islanders ($4,073).
Work-Study: Latinos received the lowest work-study awards ($1,152) of any
ethnic group.
“Other aid”: Latinos received higher awards ($4,527) than African
Americans ($4,147), but less than whites ($5,070) or Asian/Pacific
Islanders ($5,364). This disparity is consistent in “other” federal
aid ($6,047) and non-federal aid ($3,475).
So, today’s news that there is even less money to help students realize
their suenos for the future is doubly worse for Latino students.
And to think some would have us believe that Latino students get
preferential treatment when it comes to higher education.
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Black colleges recruit Hispanics
By Dorie Turner, Associated Press
Sent by Willis Papillion willis35@earthlink.net
ATLANTA - Squeezed by stiff competition for their traditional students,
historically black colleges are making a push to recruit Hispanics.
While the country's Hispanic population is booming, the number of blacks
is growing at a much slower rate and other colleges are doing more to
attract them. Black colleges that want to shore up enrollment numbers are
revising recruitment strategies to include more members of the nation's
largest and fastest-growing minority.
The campuses are hiring Hispanic recruiters, distributing brochures
featuring Hispanic students, and establishing special scholarships for
Hispanics. At the historically black Texas Southern University in Houston,
the school has started five Hispanic student organizations, including
fraternities and sororities, to help make the campus more inviting.
"I tell them 'There's a place for you and a need for Latinos to be
present on (historically black) campuses," said Nelcon Santiago, a
recruiter for the historically black Howard University in Washington, D.C.
A native of Puerto Rico, Santiago talks to students about his experiences
as a student at Howard, where he graduated in 2001.
Recruiters like Santiago and from other schools including the all-male
Morehouse College in Atlanta are visiting predominantly Hispanic high
schools and setting up booths at college fairs geared toward Hispanic
students. Morehouse sends recruiters to high schools in south Florida, New
York, east Texas and Los Angeles - areas with large Hispanic populations.
"Considering Latinos and African-Americans share a lot of history
together that they don't realize, I think it's a good idea," said
John Miranda, of Silver Spring, Md., one of 15 Hispanics enrolled at the
2,800-student Morehouse.
Miranda, the 21-year-old son of Brazilian immigrants, said he picked
Morehouse because he was offered a full-ride scholarship funded by an
Atlanta foundation that promotes the education of Hispanics.
Morehouse's goal is for at least 5% of its student body to be made up of
Hispanics within five years. If its current overall enrollment holds
steady, the school will need 125 more Hispanic students by 2011 to reach
that goal.
While the idea has been greeted with open arms by the college's
administrators, some students and alumni said they are mixed about
actively recruiting Hispanics to historically black colleges.
"I do have concerns," said Earl Nero, a retired Atlanta
businessman who graduated from Morehouse in 1974. "Since the college
has determined they want to stay the same size they are, that would take
away space from qualified African-American students."
But having other minorities attending a historically black college will
help them get "a real life view about what black people are all
about," Nero added.
Student James Travis, who is black, said having other students of other
races on a historically black campus bothers him "a little bit"
because it challenges the college's mission. "It's supposed to maintain the historically black tradition,"
said the 21-year-old student from the Atlanta suburb of College Park.
"I'll have to see how it goes before I see if I want to change the
situation or not."
Still, educators say the nation's two largest minority groups are a
natural fit on a college campus. "They are both underserved communities when it comes to higher
education," said Michael Lomax, president and CEO of the United Nugro
College Fund. "We have got to educate them so that we can have a
competitive workforce in the 21st century."
The number of Hispanic students attending historically black colleges
increased more than 60% from 1994 to 2004, while the number of black
students grew by 35%, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
In the 1990s, Hispanics surpassed blacks as the nation's largest minority.
The number of Hispanics in the United States grew by nearly 60% that
decade, while the number of blacks only grew by about 15%.
At the same time, the competition for black students has increased as
public colleges nationwide try to improve diversity by recruiting more
minorities. Some state higher education systems, especially in the South,
also have been forced by federal courts to meet specific black recruitment
goals under desegregation lawsuits still lingering from the 1960s.
"All colleges want to have a presence of African-American male
students on their campus. It makes the competition very tough," said
Sterling Hudson, dean of admissions and records at Morehouse.
Five years ago, Texas Southern hired a Hispanic recruiter and began
producing recruitment materials targeting Hispanics. Since then, Hispanic
student enrollment has grown from 316 to almost 550. Right now, Hispanics
make up about 5% of the 11,000-student body.
"We have the advantage as a HBCU to cater to the minority - small
classroom, small family-type environment," said Hasan Jamil,
assistant vice president for enrollment services.
Howard has about 170 Hispanic out of 11,500 students after several years
of focused recruiting. Interim admissions director Linda Sanders-Hawkins
said with the country's growing Hispanic population, recruiting is not as
tough as it once was.
Miranda, one of only 15 Hispanics at Morehouse, said it has not bothered
him being on a majority black campus. "Since I've been at Morehouse, I've gotten a different perspective on
a lot of things," Miranda said, referring to black history. "I
learned a lot that was left out of the schooling I got."
|
Cal State Fullerton Is Fourth For Undergraduate Degrees to Hispanics
Cal State Fullerton has moved up to fourth in the nation and first in the state for the number of undergraduate degrees awarded to Hispanic students, according to the annual "Top 100" published in the May 8 issue of Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education.
It is the second year in a row that CSUF has been recognized as the top California institution of higher education in this category. Cal State Northridge came in fifth while Long Beach State was in sixth place.
The publication rankings - based on 2005 data gathered by the National Center for Education Statistics - list colleges and universities by number of bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees awarded, as well as by subject areas.
Cal State Fullerton was fifth in the nation last year and sixth in 2004.
In specific academic programs, Cal State Fullerton ranks second nationally for the number of undergraduate degrees awarded to Hispanics in communications; fifth in education; sixth in business and marketing, as well as protective services; seventh for visual and performing arts; and eighth in area studies.
In the April 10 issue of Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, Cal State Fullerton was ranked 17th in a top 25 ranking for enrollment of Hispanic students in graduate programs. The listing, like the "Top 100," was based on data from the U.S,. Department of Education Statistics.
Overall, Hispanics constitute one-fourth of Cal State Fullerton's student population.
Source: Dateline, Cal State Fullerton, May 18, 2006
Sent by Granville Hough, Ph.D.
|
One Good Thing: Spanish Language Newspapers Growing
Sent by:Howard Shorr howardshorr@msn.com
Published: August 26, 2006
CHICAGO Here's some good news for the beleaguered U.S. newspaper industry:
Hispanics read newspapers much more faithfully than the general
population. They just prefer to do it in their native language.
Despite the overall circulation decline of U.S. newspapers,
Spanish-language publications are thriving due partly to a burgeoning
population whose impact is growing. Advertisers were advised at a
conference Friday to take note of that expansion and to discard outdated
perceptions about how to connect with Hispanics.
"Hispanic publications are an incredibly effective tool in reaching
your target consumer," said Bob Shamberg, chairman and chief
executive of Newspaper Services of America, a print media planning and
buying agency.
Shamberg said there's been huge improvement in the quality of
Spanish-language information and a better understanding in recent years of
Hispanic consumers and how they use media. But long-held perceptions that
radio and TV-- or, now, the Internet -- are the best way to reach them are
slow to change, he told the advertising summit of the National Association
of Hispanic Publications.
He cited survey data that found:
-- Newspapers are the medium most frequently used by Hispanics to check
advertising information, according to the Newspaper Association of America
poll, singled out by 56 percent compared to 14 % for direct mail, 11 % for the Internet and 8
% TV.
-- Spanish-language newspapers are the most influential on purchasing
decisions.
-- Ads in Spanish are 61 % more effective and 4.5 times more
persuasive than in English.
Alejandro Sanchez, a Chicago-based media strategist for the San Jose Group
ad agency, said cultural reasons explain why Hispanics, or Latinos, read
newspapers more than other groups. "They trust the paper," he said. "They can see it on TV,
they can see it online, but ... the paper has that sense of ultimate
authority."
The trend of low newspaper readership among Americans age 18 to 34 also
does not apply as much to Hispanic consumers, he said.
"Our time is a little different from other cultures," Sanchez
said. "We take time to do these things. We like to sit down and read
the papers because 'That's what my dad did.'"
Carl Kravetz, chairman of the Association of Hispanic Advertising
Agencies, said ads have moved beyond the simplistic archetype of the
"safe Hispanic," when they uniformly portrayed conservative,
family-oriented, not-too-dark immigrants who didn't read. But he cautioned
advertisers to not "try to turn Mexicans into Germans" --
recognizing the different priorities and mores of different cultures.
"Our success depends on our ability to create expressions of culture
which people deem authentic and wish to identify with," he said.
With the proliferation of new media, he noted that for an advertising
message, "Today, more than ever, where you say it is as important as
what you say."
|
PRESS RELEASE,
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
August 22, 2006 Lizette Jenness Olmos, (202) 365-4553
Sent by Brent Wilkes bwilkes@lulac.org
LULAC Praises New Mexico Governor’s Initiative to Save LNESC
We hope this sets an example to inspire other Governors to follow
Washington, DC – The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
National President Rosa Rosales and LULAC National Educational Service
Centers (LNESC) National Chair Roman Palomares want to extend our
sincerest appreciation to Governor Bill Richardson for taking action to
free up to $80,000 in federal fiscal relief to save the Albuquerque
education center from closing its doors.
“This is about college access and working with communities that are
underserved and unique. The centers help low-income and first generation
students in order to prepare them to complete high school and enroll in a
postsecondary institution of their choice. It really requires that extra
mile to reach into the communities that are being served,” said LULAC
National President Rosa Rosales. “Education is a lifeline to our future
and the LNESC has proven itself successful since the 70's.”
LNESC has made an impact in Hispanic education through its 17 Educational
Centers around the United States and Puerto Rico. The LNESC Centers
assists over 12,000 students annually. The mission of the centers is to
provide educationally disadvantaged and Hispanic communities with the
highest quality academic opportunities needed for the development of
lifelong learners and leaders through mentoring, financial aid assistance,
counseling and academic advising among other services.
Sent by: Karen Borch-Exec.
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Oct
2: Latino Education Advocacy Day
Sent by Karen Borch
MEChA will be hosting the LEAD (Latino Education Advocacy Day) event at
the University of New Mexico (Student Union Building Movie Theater) on October 2nd from 9:00am to 6:00pm. We will be showing two documentaries
from Alfred Lugo who will coming down from California to present, followed
by a discussion. Alfredo Lugo has been producing documentaries since 1983.
Mr. Lugo has received various awards; an EMMY, shared in an EMMY, won a Golden Mike Award and received recognition awards from the League of
United Latin America Citizens, 11th Airborne Division Association and Certificates of Appreciation from Los Angeles County Sheriff Block for his
exemplary cable television crime prevention programs. He is a certified Oral Historian, California Military History Museum,
Crewchief/Docent, F-105D 62-4383 March Airfield Museum. We will be showing the documentaries
in the SUB theater. Our agenda for the events and times are as follows:
9:00am-4:00pm Voter Registration / Voter Education
12:00 pm Alfredo Lugo will present "Men of Company E"
2:00 pm Alfredo Lugo will present the "Guy Gabaldón Interview" Both
documentaries will be followed by a discussion on the importance of voting
to continue the Latino tradition of activism in our communities through voting on the
issues.
5:00 pm Reading of Alfredo Lugo's "Roll Call" play
6:00 pm El Centro de La Raza courtyard BBQ
information: Vanessa Monge at (505) 550-6535 or Mario Chavez at (505) 615-0981.
Please RSVP if you plan to join the event for the BBQ.
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U.S. Department of Education - Additional Grant Funds
Sent by: rgrbob@earthlink.net
Dear Parent,
We are excited to announce the creation of a new student aid grant program
called the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG). This new grant builds on
the Pell Grant program to provide increased funds for students who
complete a rigorous high school program of study.
Based on the information reported on the 2006-2007 Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) filed by your son or daughter (your student),
he or she may be eligible for the ACG, but we will need to ask your
student some additional questions to help make the proper determination.
To provide the needed information your student should answer the questions
online at https://fafsa.ed.gov/FOTWWebApp/fotw0607/ACGServlet
using his or
her Federal Student Aid PIN. They can select the link or copy the entire
link and paste it into the address or location line of your Web browser.
Make sure to copy and paste the entire link; it may appear on multiple
lines.
After your student submits his or her answers, we will send this
information to the colleges currently listed on your student's FAFSA. Your
student will also receive a new Student Aid Report (SAR). If your student
would like to have the ACG information sent to additional colleges, he or
she may add those colleges after receiving a SAR. To do so, he or she can
go to http://www.fafsa.ed.gov, select "Make Corrections to a Processed FAFSA,"
login with his or her Federal Student Aid PIN and follow the instructions.
The financial aid administrator at your student's college will determine
if he or she is eligible for an ACG. All follow-up information will come
from the financial aid office at the college.
Sincerely, Federal Student Aid
U.S. Department of Education
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September 5, 2006 
