PRACTITIONER ADVOCACY TO IMPROVE UNDOCUMENTED STUDENT SUCCESS

1. PRACTITIONER ADVOCACY TO IMPROVE UNDOCUMENTED STUDENT SUCCESS Santiago Bernal, UCLA Angela Chuan-Ru Chen, UCLA NASPA National Conference | 3.8.2010 Please note that images included in the original presentation have been removed in effort to protect student privacy.

2. TERMINOLOGY COMMON PREFERRED • Aliens • Illegal(s) • Tax Residents • Unauthorized • Undocumented • Unprotected

3. (UN)DOC-YOU-MENTED • Select a bag • Please take 5 minutes to place the following items in the bag: • Your Drivers License or ID • Your ATM/Bank Card/Credit Cards • Your Social Security Cards • Your Health Insurance Card • Seal the bag and place the bag in the middle of room

4. (UN)DOC-YOU-MENTED • What was it like to drop your cards and place them out of your reach? • How many of you did not complete or were unwilling to complete the activity? Why? • Without these items, where do you think you would be today? What would you do? What would you have access to? • As a student what would you do if you weren’t allowed to drive? You can’t prove your age? Can’t work legally?

5. In State Tuition

6. AB 540 ELIGIBILITY 1) Attended CA HS for 3+ years 2) Graduated from CA HS or attained GED 3) Registered or currently enrolled at accredited institution of higher education • Only applies to public institutions 4) Filed an affidavit as required by individual institution, stating intent to apply for legal residency as soon as one is eligible • Confidential - Not public record

7. “Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors” • Pathway to citizenship & financial aid eligibility • 1) Evidence of arrival in US at 15 years of age or younger • 2) Live in US for 5+ consecutive years following arrival • 3) Be between age 12-35 during enactment of bill • 4) Earn HS diploma/GED from US HS • 5) Demonstrate “good moral character” • Lead to 6 years “conditional status” to complete minimum of 2 years of higher education or military service • Then become eligible to APPLY for permanent residency

8. UNDOCUMENTED STUDENT PIPELINE • 1.7 million undocumented youth in the U.S. • Every year, 80,000 undocumented students become 18 years old (Passel, 2003) • Of these, 65,000 graduate from high school • 13,000-16,000 do not complete high school • 7,000-13,000 enroll in college • 40% of undocumented youth reside in California

9. PERSONAL DETERRENT • Limited financial support from family to help cover the cost of fees, books and personal expenses • Transportation (commuting on the bus for many hours each way because they can not afford to live in university housing) • Working excessive hours (no work = no education) • Family obligations — helping with household and sibling responsibilities • May feel a sense of hopelessness and helplessness • Current immigration laws that limit opportunities to legalize their residency status • Fear of being detected by immigration authorities

10. EDUCATIONAL DETERRENTS • Inability to obtain financial aid from the institution • Inability to pursue academic careers that require state licensing, background checks or Social Security numbers (nursing, law, teaching, etc.) • Inability to travel and participate in conferences, field trips or research colloquiums • Inability to accept paid internships or qualify for on-campus student employment • Inability to provide identification affects the ability to take tests for graduate school, i.e., GRE, MCAT and/or LSAT • Inability to work in the chosen professional field after graduation

11. INSTITUTIONAL DETERRENTS • Limited information regarding state provisions • Overall lack of commitment by campuses to serve these students • Insensitivity, rudeness and demeaning attitude • In some states, students being turned away or denied access for failure to provide unnecessary documentation such as a Social Security number, driver’s license and/or residency documentation

12. STUDENT EXPERIENCES • Struggling to Succeed • Feeling the pressure of being a role model • Coping with frustration and uncertainty • Managing life as a “hidden” member of society • Missing out on opportunities • Perception of self as compared to other students • Complications in utilizing campus services (Albrecht, 2007)

13. INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSE • Importance of alternative social networks (Oliverez, 2006) • College administrators are unaware of current and relevant legislations or are slow to adopt favorable policies (Abrego, 2006; Albrecht, 2007; Feranchak, 2007; Oliverez, 2006) • Discrepant attitudes among higher education leaders on providing educational benefits (Feranchak, 2007) • Lack of standard policy/practice (Albrecht, 2007; Biswas, 2005; Feranchak, 2007)

14. CALL TO ACTION

15. RECOMMENDATIONS • Develop a systematic way to disseminate information and assist students as they move through high school and college. • Identify allies- counselors and teachers in high schools ,community colleges and community agencies to assist students and parents • Educate students and their advocates about their post-secondary options. • Educate students about how to correctly complete the college and scholarship application processes.

16. FUNDRAISING • Provide students with useful scholarship lists and applications and assist them as they apply for scholarships. • Work with scholarship providers in your area to encourage them to offer funding to undocumented students. • Help students develop a portfolio to use when soliciting donations. • Create own fund for your students • Start a book loan system for students • Ask professors to donate books to students • Help students find other creative ways to fund their education (e.g., family members, teachers, parents’ employers, local business, large companies).

17. NETWORK • Sponsor meetings for students to meet faculty, staff and administrators • Connect students with advocates and resources on your campus and in the community. • Create opportunities for students to begin a support network. • Connect families with the parents of undocumented students to begin a network of support. • Connect students/families with reputable agencies offering free or low cost immigration services.

18. BUILDING A SUPPORT NETWORK University or College Campus Resources: • Identify official campus representative(s) • Identify campus allies (faculty, staff, & students-Create SAFE Zones) • Establish student organizations • Find community organization referrals • Seek reputable legal assistance • Conduct campus and community educational forums regarding the DREAM Act or state bills

19. CALL TO ACTION • Encourage and demonstrate to students how to become politically active. • Contact local, state and federal organizations, advocacy groups to support and assist their efforts. • Contact local business to educate them about the benefits to their bottom line of educating these students • Contact National Associations to encourage them to prioritize this issue for their federal advocacy • Contact your elected officials to show support for proposed legislation at the state and national level. • Advocate with established scholarships to remove citizen or residency requirements and establish local Scholarships.

20. SCHOLARSHIP RESOURCES • Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund • www.maldef.org/pdf/Scholarships.pdf • Latino College Dollars • www.latinocollegedollars.org/DIRECTORY.pdf • Paying for College Student Resource Guide • http://www.house.gov/roybalallard/2007_Student_resource_guide.pdf • Salvadoran-American Leadership and Educational Fund • http://www.salef.org/ • Scholarshipsaz.org (non-profit organization based in Arizona) • Nakasec.org

21. INFORMATION • National Immigration Law Center – Adey Fisseha • www.nilc.org • MALDEF: Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund • www.maldef.org • DREAM Act Websites • www.DREAMActivist.org • www.DREAMAct2009 • Religious Organizations

22. ALLY CONSCIOUSNESS • Acknowledges that AB 540 and other undocumented students have a legal right to be enrolled in the university • Becomes informed about the rights afforded by law to AB 540 students • Finds legal alternatives • Acknowledge the privileges of citizenship and legal residency • Listens openly, yet does not interrogate the student on their immigration status • Do not “out” them to others, without the student’s permission

23. ALLY CONSCIOUSNESS • Do not encourage students to act on matters that may compromise them when they have the opportunity to adjust their status • Handle student’s emotions with reserve, empathy, and support • Creates a climate of trust that allows the student to reveal their situation at their own pace • Makes referrals and follows up to assess the effectiveness of the referral • Is clear about his or her own personal motivation in becoming an Ally • Is committed to maintaining confidentiality and respecting the privacy of people who are undocumented

24. Thank you “Equality among students is the first step to achieve equality in the world” -- “anonymous” student

25. Santiago BernalAssistant Director UCLA Center for Community Partnershipssbernal@college.ucla.edu Angela Chuan-Ru ChenDoctoral Candidate, UCLA Dept. of Educationachen@college.ucla.edu

26. Additional Resources Link to Journal: www.nacacnet.orgThe special winter issue of the Journal of College Admission featuring undocumented. Link to Short Documentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI7J2b3t4WUThe story of Stephanie, a DREAM Act Student