N.C. system changes policy on immigrants
By AP, Published September 23, 2009

The North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) has approved an admissions policy that would allow undocumented immigrants to attend the state’s 58 community college campuses. But college advocates don’t expect a wave of undocumented immigrant students as they would have to pay out-of-state tuition rates and adhere to other eligibility rules.

The system’s board voted 16 to 1 to admit undocumented immigrants, who would have to pay out-of-state tuition rates. Out-of-state tuition is about $7,700 per year, compared with $1,600 for in-state students.

Under the new policy, undocumented immigrants would have to graduate from a U.S. high school. In addition, they would not be eligible for student aid, and state and U.S. residents would have priority if there is limited space in a class or program. 

“We are thrilled with the decision,” said Marco Zarate, president of the North Carolina Society of Hispanic Professionals. “We believe that education is something that is probably one of the few things that once you have it, nobody can take it away from you.”

The policy must now go through an administrative rules process that usually takes six to 12 months, according to NCCCS officials. Until the new policy becomes law, the current admissions standard of not admitting undocumented immigrants, which went into effective May 2008, remains in place. The legislature could still reject the proposed rule when it reconvenes in May or override it with its own law.

The changes are designed to focus on children who entered the country illegally with their parents and didn’t make the decision to come to America, said Stuart Fountain, chair of the policy committee that recommended the policy change to the full board.

“These children cannot be held in limbo while the federal government decides what to do with immigration,” Fountain said. “While in high school they have adopted American culture and they’ve learned to speak English.”

Democratic Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton cast the only “no” vote against the policy in the voice vote but did not debate the issue before the board. He released a statement saying that “these are extremely difficult economic times that require tough choices.”

“Now is not the time to increase the demands on our already overburdened community college system,” Dalton added.

The new policy places more restrictions on the admission of undocumented immigrants than those in several other states, noted NCCCS President Scott Ralls.

“But, in my opinion, it is a policy that is the right thing to do because it maintains that all-important hope for students who were brought to our country as minors and who are graduates of our high schools.  It keeps the path to a better life clearly in view,” he told the board.

Not everyone was happy with the decision. On Thursday, when a committee of the board approved the policy change and sent it to the full committee, about 50 protestors were on hand outside waving flags and holding up placards calling to keep the ban. Several of the protestors said they were concerned illegal immigrants would be trained for jobs that legal residents are competing for.

Gov. Beverly Perdue, another Democrat, believes the board made the wrong decision, said spokesperson Chrissy Pearson. Perdue told reporters last week it’s hard to understand why the state should educate people “when they can’t work legally in the state after they’re educated.”

A recent study commissioned by NCCCS showed that out-of-state tuition rates cover more than the cost of instruction and that most colleges profit from students who pay out-of-state rates.

The system had 111 illegal immigrants enrolled during the 2007-08 school year, according to the report.

AP reports were used in this article.