N.C. system OKs admitting undocumented immigrants
By CC Times, Published September 18, 2009

The North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS) on Friday approved an admissions policy that would allow undocumented immigrants to attend the state’s 58 community colleges campuses.

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.

Undocumented immigrants also must graduate from a U.S. high school. In addition, state and U.S. residents would have priority if there is limited space in a class or program.  

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.

“This is not a policy the board came to lightly or without contemplation and study, but with today’s vote, North Carolina is a step closer to having a consistent admissions policy for undocumented immigrants among its public higher education institutions,” said Hilda Pinnix-Ragland, who chairs the system’s board. (The state’s university system admits undocumented immigrants who attended high school in the U.S.)

“Once the administrative rules process is completed, our community colleges will be able to cease the back-and-forth of the last eight years, and these students, who are striving for a better future, will have access to a seamless educational pathway from K-12 and beyond,” Pinnix-Ragland 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.

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