“UNDOCURUTGERS” COLLEGE FAIR – AN OP-ED
On October 17, one of our Stewards, Kevin Majewski, had the opportunity to attend and participate in the “undocuRutgers” College Fair, which was promoted as a forum to provide information on existing resources for undocumented youth who aspire to go to college in the United States. In the interest in shedding light on this topic, below are some of his observations about the event.
While not concrete legislation, as congress continues to debate immigration reform systemically, the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA) affords temporary relief from the threat of deportation to those in the undocumented population that qualify and apply – primarily those who entered the United States before the age of 16. While this status is not required for postsecondary access in New Jersey, and not a path to legalization or citizenship, it seemingly decreases the economic and social barriers for those who qualify and can afford the application fees. The affordability of higher education has been a topic of conversation in terms of how it limits access to those concerned with the cost of rising tuition. For those who do not qualify for federal or state financial aid due to their undocumented status, the dream of attaining college education may seem further out of reach. In 2013, New Jersey partially addressed this issue and extended national efforts regarding immigration policy by offering instate tuition to those that have attended and graduated from an NJ high school. This is known as the NJ Dream Act.
The mission of undocuRutgers was well intended as an important moment in higher education by the multiple constituents who participated in the event, including several community colleges, departments within Rutgers, immigration lawyers, community advocates, and participants. The morning started with a generic introduction to college admissions, with an emphasis on the benefits of attending New Jersey’s vast array of community colleges and how to transfer to Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey. While Rutgers no longer requires students to have a social security number at any point in their application or admissions process, this is not a statewide policy, which worried many in the audience. Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, for fear of personal identification, and resultant legal implications, several whispers were heard throughout the room questioning the benefit of pursuing postsecondary education. This seemed to stem from fear from not only disclosing one’s undocumented status, but the considerable social, economic, and academic barriers that coincide with college attendance for undocumented students.
This set the mood for the remainder of the day for all involved, and from a practitioner’s standpoint, it was clear that there is still considerable work to be done if educators are serious about providing sustainable opportunities to DREAMers. In terms of attracting, retaining, and graduating undocumented students, it seems important for institutions to offer resources and support to make college more attainable for them.
If institutions increased institutional aid beyond the In-State Tuition Exemption, this would considerably expand the reach of the NJ Dream Act. This would increase services to those who do not qualify for federal financial aid and adult learners who do not qualify for the tuition exemption. During the presentation focused on financial aid, exchanges between attendants and the Rutgers Office of Financial Aid became heated when an audience member stated that many other attendants felt “confused and mislead” over whether undocumented students should fill out a FAFSA during their college application process. While presenters had provided conflicting answers to this question initially, in the end it seemed that the consensus was YES. Students should fill out their FAFSA (Online or Paper) whether or not they include their Social Security Number or tax information because colleges often use this information to determine a student’s eligibility for need-based and merit-based financial aid from not only federal funds, but also state and institutional resources.
The event ended with some first-hand accounts of undocumented students; culminating the much-discussed notion that while nothing about college attendance and graduation is easy, it is definitely worth it. Lunch and table sessions followed and allowed potential students to connect with a few organizations, community colleges, and offices at Rutgers.
Presentations, information, and support regarding DACA were aplenty with resounding contentment from those in the audience who may qualify. It seemed that for many, the bountiful information regarding opportunities for college attendance and temporary rights to remain in the United States was a relief. What was missing however was engaging with potential students on how to go to college. As most in attendance would be first generation college students, following in the footsteps of other opportunity programs that provide guidance and resources would most likely aid in retaining undocumented students within NJ higher education. In addition, institutions need to create and promote opportunities for strong and supportive relationships between prospective, incoming, and current students as well as the administrative resources to help them to thrive.
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