Undocumented Students Tailoring current student affairs practices to fit their unique needs Cecilia Lopez & Maggie Mahoney February 17 th , 2011
Nov 03, 2014
Undocumented Students
Tailoring current student affairs practices
to fit their unique needsCecilia Lopez & Maggie Mahoney
February 17th, 2011
Presentation Outline
Present basic facts about undocumented students
Review national and state legislation concerning these students
Propose methods to tailor student affairs practices to fit the unique needs of undocumented students
Basic Information & Data
Terminology
1. Bernal, S., & Chuan-Ru Chen, A. (2010, March 8). Practitioner advocacy to improve undocumented student success [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from NASPA Annual Conference Archives website: http://archive.naspa.org/conference/cfp/coord/upload/2010%20NASPA_upload.ppt
Legal Definition
Undocumented: Foreign nationals who “(a) entered the U.S. without inspection or with fraudulent documents, or (b) entered as a nonimmigrant, but then violated the terms of his or her status and remained in the U.S. without authorization.”1
Any student who is not a legal resident in the U.S. – no visa, no green card, or naturalized or born U.S. citizens
A note on student visas
Family Education Rights & Privacy Act
The affordability issue concerning readjustment of status
1Badger, E., Yale-Loehr, S., & Lindsay, S. (n.d.). Undocumented students and eligibility for enrollment at U.S. colleges and universities. Retrieved from Miller Mayer, LLP website: http://www.millermayer.com/NewsandArticles/ UndocumentedStudents/tabid/307/Default.aspx
National Data
A note on accuracy of data
2.5 million undocumented youth under the age of 18 (Perez, 2009)
65,000 graduate from high school each year1
Estimated that approximately 13,000 of these students ever attend college
1. Gonzales, R. G. (2009, April). Young lives on hold: The college dreams of undocumented students [Brochure]. Retrieved from http://professionals.collegeboard.com/ profdownload/ young-lives-on-hold-college-board.pdf
Student Profile
Perez’s Developing Talent Study1
182 undocumented student respondents
71% enrolled in Honors and AP courses in high school
Average high school GPA: 3.48
Average college GPA: 3.10
College leadership role: 40% (CC) 44% (four-year)
College community service: 61% (CC) 65% (four-year)
College Academic Awards: 45% (CC) 58% (four-year)
1 Perez, W. (2009, March 26). Sobreviviendo la crisis: The case of undocumented students. Lecture presented at California State University, Northridge, Northridge, CA.
The DREAM Act
National legislation for students who show good moral character since entry and who came to the U.S. at age 15 or younger at least five years before the date of the bill’s enactment would qualify for conditional nonimmigrant status1
Individuals must either attend a higher degree program for at least two years or serve in the U.S. armed forces for at least two years
History of the Bill since 2001
1National Immigration Law Center. (2010, December). DREAM Act: Summary [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from http://www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/DREAM/dream-bills-summary-2010-09-20.pdf
College Access
K-12 Access: Plyler v. Doe
1982 U.S. Supreme Court case
Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA, 1996)
Prohibits access to benefits unless U.S. citizens are also eligible.
In-state tuition laws and financial aid
California, New Mexico, Washington, Utah, New York, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, New Mexico, and Wisconsin
Financial aid access: Texas & New Mexico
Texas HB 1403
Description
Student must have:
resided in Texas with a parent or guardian while attending high school in Texas; graduated from a public or private high school or received a GED in Texas; resided in Texas for the three years leading to graduation or receipt of a GED; and provided their institutions a signed affidavit indicating an intent to apply for permanent resident status as soon as able to do so.
Data
Sustaining and Supporting
Sustaining and tailoring current resources and practices to support the unique college
experience of undocumented students.
Seven areas of Student Affairs
What to be aware of
Continuous education on legal and support services
Professional and student development
Students constantly battle feelings of shame, trepidation, anger, despair, marginalization, and uncertainty 1
“Triple minority status” : ethnic origin, lack of documentation, and economic disadvantages2
Socioemotional development3 1,2,3Perez, W., Cortes, R. D., Ramos, K., & Coronado, H. (2010). Cursed and blessed: Examining the
socioemotional and academic experiences of undocumented Latina and Latino college students. New Directors for Student Services, 131, 35-51. doi:10.1002/ ss.366
Academic Advising
Support students to be academically successful
Some may fit aspects of the first-generation college student experience
Possibly the only student affairs professional to ever be in contact with the student
Housing
Campus becomes a safe haven for undocumented students
Most essential services are located on or near campus
On-campus living reduces the need for transportation
On-campus living counteracts the need to rent/lease an apartment
Financial Services
Trained financial aid counselors
Publish funding resources on institution website
Encourage students to seek out private funding opportunities
Study Abroad
Usually disregarded as an option for these students
Alternate opportunities can exist through programs that explore the rich cultures of the U.S.
The department must be flexible and innovative in their program offerings
Some majors require study abroad experiences, which turn away undocumented students
Legal Services
Make students aware of their rights and legal responsibilities
Resources available concerning barriers and options for their legal status1
Immigration attorney referrals
1Malagon, M. C., & Huber, L. P. (2006-2007). Silenced struggles: The experiences of Latina and Latino undocumented college students in California. Nevada Law Journal, 7, 841-861. Retrieved from http://heinonline.org/ HOL/ Page?handle=hein.journals/ nevlj7&div=41&g_sent=1&collection=journals#847
Counseling & Mental Health
Professional, trained staff members can offer support for the unseen struggles facing undocumented students
Impact of their immigration status: fear of deportation, uncertainty, and frustration1
Confidentiality of services
Affordability of counseling sessions
1Albrecht, T. J. (2007). Challenges and service needs of undocumented Mexican undergraduate students: Students’ voices and administrators’ perspectives (Doctoral dissertation, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX). Retrieved from http://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/ bitstream/ handle/ 2152/ 3542/ albrechtt61669.pdf?sequence=2
Career Services
Career development process constrained by legal restraints
Career decisions-making process
Many aspects of typical career counseling and planning conflict or are not relevant1
Effective networking
Importance of internships
Broad range of career exploration activities1Ortiz, A. M., & Hinojosa, A. (2010). Tenuous options: The career development process for undocumented students. New Directions for Student
Services, (131), 53-65. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ss.367/abstract
Questions?
Visit our website to access resources that can help you stay informed to best serve undocumented
students
sagradresources.wordpress.com
Thank you for attending!
Sources
Gonzales, R. G. (2009, April). Young lives on hold: The college dreams of undocumented students [Brochure]. Retrieved from http:// professionals.collegeboard.com/ profdownload/ young-lives-on-hold-college-board.pdf
Ortiz, A. M., & Hinojosa, A. (2010). Tenuous options: The career development process for undocumented students. New Directions for Student Services, (131), 53-65. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ss.367/abstract
Albrecht, T. J. (2007). Challenges and service needs of undocumented Mexican undergraduate students: Students’ voices and administrators’ perspectives (Doctoral dissertation, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX). Retrieved from http:// epositories.lib.utexas.edu/ bitstream/ handle/ 2152/ 3542/ albrechtt61669.pdf?sequence=2
Badger, E., Yale-Loehr, S., & Lindsay, S. (n.d.). Undocumented students and eligibility for enrollment at U.S. colleges and universities. Retrieved from Miller Mayer, LLP website: http://www.millermayer.com/NewsandArticles/ UndocumentedStudents/tabid/307/Default.aspx
Malagon, M. C., & Huber, L. P. (2006-2007). Silenced struggles: The experiences of Latina and Latino undocumented college students in California. Nevada Law Journal, 7, 841-861. Retrieved from http://heinonline.org/ HOL/ Page? handle=hein.journals/ nevlj7&div=41&g_sent=1&collection=journals#847
Perez, W., Cortes, R. D., Ramos, K., & Coronado, H. (2010). Cursed and blessed: Examining the socioemotional and academic experiences of undocumented Latina and Latino college students. New Directors for Student Services, 131, 35-51. doi: 10.1002/ ss.366
National Immigration Law Center. (2010, December). DREAM Act: Summary [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from http:// www.nilc.org/ immlawpolicy/DREAM/dream-bills-summary-2010-09-20.pdf
Bernal, S., & Chuan-Ru Chen, A. (2010, March 8). Practitioner advocacy to improve undocumented student success [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from NASPA Annual Conference Archives website: http://archive.naspa.org/conference/cfp/coord/upload/2010%20NASPA_upload.ppt
Perez, W. (2009, March 26). Sobreviviendo la crisis: The case of undocumented students. Lecture presented at California State University, Northridge, Northridge, CA.