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Memorandum

To: Director of Admission, Director of Latino Resource Center, Director of Latin American

Studies, Vice President & Division of Student Affairs, Executive Board of the Student

Association, Student Association Senate

From: Undocumented Students Task Force Chair

Date: 3/4/17

Subject: Report & Recommendations for Undocumented Students in the U.S. & NIU.

The following report and recommendations stem from current issues that are affecting the
undocumented student community. As we push to increase enrollment and retention to meet
university objectives, a large community of undocumented students is at risk of not attending
a higher education institution. To those undocumented students already enrolled, face the
burden of lacking resources that influences persistence until degree attainment. We intend to
provide valuable knowledge through research and recommendations for the understanding of
a struggling student community.

Overview of Issues within the Undocumented Student Community


In 1982, the Supreme Court decided to guarantee an education from kindergarten
through 12th grade to all students regardless of immigrant status (Perez, 2014) in
which higher education was not included. According to recent research, there are
roughly 1.1 million students under the age of 18 that are considered undocumented
(Educators for Fair Consideration, 2012). Research also shows that out of the 1.1
million undocumented students, 65,000 of that population will have graduated high
school and has lived in the country for over 5 years (Educator for Fair
Consideration, 2012). With a nationally large undocumented student population, the
lack of access into higher education becomes more critical for institutions
nationwide. We stand today, in favor of increasing access opportunities to the
undocumented community in which, we believe, can help reach university
admission goals while providing a necessary and quality education to an
undocumented community.

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Agreeing to increase access is the first component to an intricate set of barriers that
include financial assistance, federal and state legislation, along with institutional
admission and tuition policies. Many of the issues posed are unique to different
universities and to Northern Illinois University, however, a holistic understanding of
the issues can still benefit institutions and NIU by providing the context needed to
move forward in a comprehensive manner.

Undocumented students, like most students, worry tremendously about the financial
assistance when attending college. While the average student worries about not
compiling debt, the undocumented student struggles with the burden of not receiving
the benefits of FAFSA. Current government policy states that undocumented
students cannot qualify for federal and most state-based financial aid that includes
state grants, work study, or loan programs (Educators for Fair Consideration, 2012).
However, according to the Education Commission of the States, Texas, New
Mexico, California, Washington, and Minnesota all provide financial aid at the state
level for undocumented students (Education Commission of the States, 2016). As
Illinois is left out of the list of states that provide state assistance to undocumented
students, Northern Illinois University can lead institutions in the state by becoming
an advocate to provide assistance like the states mentioned above. A united voice
across the state is needed to change current legislations; we believe as an innovative
university, we can begin sharing awareness to peer and other higher education
institutions.

In addition to the lack of FAFSA resources, undocumented students also face issues
with state tuition rates. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures,
as of 2014 there are 18 states that allow in-state tuition rates for undocumented
students (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland,
Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, Utah,
Washington, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island). The 18 states that allow in-state tuition
have their own requirements for students that are undocumented and can differ from
each other. With financial resources being more limited for undocumented students,
there is a higher dependency on scholarships. Unfortunately, scholarships are also
limited as many eligible students must defer and decline scholarships awarded due
to most scholarships requiring citizen credentials. However, not all scholarships
require social security numbers, and there are some scholarships specifically for
undocumented students as well (Big Future, 2016).

As controversial discussions of illegal immigrants make their way to the national


spotlight, presidential campaigns have made certain remarks that continue to put the
undocumented community on edge. With this year being a presidential election
year, strategies on how to properly manage the undocumented communities in the
country have exacerbated the stress undocumented students face. As the GOP front
runner states that he would deport all illegal immigrants back to their country
(Haddon, 2015) undocumented students approach this upcoming semester more
stressed than ever before. Even with DACA keeping them safe of deportation, it

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does not extend protection to many of these students families. Undocumented


students have sprouted a new fear in this country, where education can become a
minimal concern to their future ability to obtain a degree.

What We Know Through Literature

When doing research on undocumented students, there are multiple discussion


points to pick and choose from. Majority of the issues raised in literature pertain to
the limited access undocumented student face and the unique financial burden they
have been issued by federal, state, or institutional policies. Along with these
challenges, come various suggestions on how to counsel and guide this community
of students through their college application process. As we turn our focus to
Northern Illinois University, it is evident that our state has sided with many other
states to provide undocumented students with in-state tuition. Illinois had approved
in-state tuition for undocumented students in 2003 under four conditions: the student
resides with their parent while attending college, the student has graduated from a
public or private high school or has received a GED, the student has received at least
three years of schooling in the state, and lastly if the student is not a permanent
resident they must provide a university with an affidavit stating that they will file for
permanent residency as soon as they are eligible (An Undocumented Students
Guide To College, 2015).

Along with in-state tuition, Illinois lead the country in being the first to approve
legislation to create The Illinois Dream Act, in which it created a private scholarship
fund for undocumented students (An Undocumented Students Guide To College,
2015). Much of the literature suggests that undocumented students can help current
higher education by catering to the population with the most growth, America
needs to do more to increase its college-going and high school graduation rates. The
nation can accomplish this by prioritizing the attainment of populations that have the
greatest room for growth (Flores, 2015).

As two of the four As (access and affordability) from The Contexts of American
Higher Education are of priority within the undocumented community, we
emphasize making opportunity affordable to those dedicated to education. Higher
education was built to support the society that supports it (Berdahl, Altback, &
Gumport, 2011, p.4). Even though this new serge of undocumented students was
not present during the creation of American higher education, we believe that this
community has dedicated enough students to our higher education standards and
should be respectfully recognized as contributing members to American higher
education. As higher education continues to evolve and adapt to modern society, we
should focus on higher education reform to include all people willing to sacrifice
time, money, and efforts toward American higher education.

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Northern Illinois University & Undocumented Students

Northern Illinois University has catered and dedicated many efforts toward the
undocumented student community. NIU has proudly taken initiative in serving the
undocumented community by implementing an 86 page guide that effectively and
clearly represents this student population. Within the guide, the Latino Resource
Center at Northern Illinois University explains the importance of working closely
with undocumented students and elaborating on the following topics: defining the
undocumented student, NIU admission policy for undocumented students, the
different financial aids available for undocumented students, the legal services
provided to undocumented students, how to develop the undocumented student at
NIU, the various student services offered for undocumented students, and it also
includes case studies on this population (Northern Illinois University, Latino
Resource Center, 2016).

Northern Illinois has an impressive history when considering the undocumented


student community. The guideline booklet created by the Latino Resource Center is
a critical component to university leadership and awareness and it has and continues
to serve a great purpose. In addition to that, Northern Illinois University has also
created an undocumented student friendly application that gives clear directions on
how to apply to NIU and how to go about the affidavit needed. Along with strong
administration support, the Northern Illinois University student body has also played
a pivotal support role toward undocumented students. Under the Latino Resource
Center, a student group was formed and named DreamAction NIU. DreamAction
NIU works in collaboration with the Latino Resource Center and provides support
and awareness to undocumented students (Northern Illinois University, Latino
Resource Center, 2016). Through this student organization, scholarships specifically
for undocumented students can be applied for and received.

Needless to say, the commitment the Latino Resource Center and Northern Illinois
University has had toward serving its undocumented student population is inspiring
and progressive. As we continue to emphasize many of the statistics showcased in
the booklet provided by the Latino Resource Center at NIU, we acknowledge that
even though we have come a long way as a modern university, we still have plenty
of work to do for our campus, and for the students that continue to support Northern
Illinois University; regardless of citizen status.

The Undocumented Student Impact at Northern Illinois University

The impact that undocumented students have had on campus has been and continues
to be a great one. As higher education institutions compete to stay financially above
water, we believe NIU has a great advantage over peer universities. Northern
Illinois University is ranked as the fourth most attended school by Chicago Public

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Schools (Nagaok, Heally & Michelman, 2014). Northern Illinois University trails
the University of Illinois at Chicago, Northeastern Illinois University, and the
University of Illinois at Urbana (Nagaok et al, 2014) and even then, two of the
schools mentioned have an advantage by already being located in Chicago. As
Illinois is the home to the fifth most populated state for Hispanics, the greater
majority of the 2 million plus people live in the city of Chicago (Pew Research
Center, 2011). We believe that Northern Illinois University can capitalize on its
close distance to a high Latino population and can showcase its welcoming
initiatives to undocumented students. We hope to create an amicable relationship
with undocumented students in Chicago and want to limit the interest convergence
toward the undocumented community and emphasize a genuine strategy that would
be of high interest to both the university and the undocumented student population.

As surrounding universities have the title of being Hispanic serving institutions, I


believe Northern Illinois University has the potential of obtaining this title as well.
Becoming a Hispanic serving institution can help NIU become eligible for additional
grants and resources that would essentially benefit the university as a whole
(Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities, 2009). We believe that if we
continue to build on our network with undocumented students, we can help
university initiatives of raising the percentage of incoming students while providing
all of our students a safe and unforgettable learning experience.

Creating & Continuing Initiatives to Better Serve Undocumented Students

Northern Illinois University has showed initiative to welcome undocumented


students by creating awareness through the Latino Resource Center. We want to
continue and create initiatives across campus that directly influences the president
and vice presidents office, all the way down to the student government. As we
continue to learn, the struggle for undocumented students is far from over, especially
when the future of these students can be dictated by the next elected president. If
deporting all undocumented students or illegal immigrants were to become a reality,
the undocumented student population would crumble in front of our eyes. The
disastrous effect would leave many aspects of our country in critical condition,
including higher education. Even if undocumented students were to not be deported,
their families and close friends of their community can be left in shambles without
many options of restoration. The action to help this struggling community is now
and our aid is more critical than ever before.

As Northern Illinois University has become an ally to the undocumented student


community, our loyalty can be best shown by encouraging campus wide awareness
and not only to the minority groups that have direct affiliation to undocumented
students. Undocumented students have had to endure more obstacles in this day and
age in higher education than most other student populations and even through high
adversity, according to Academic Resilience Among Undocumented Latino Students
discover higher academic success, undocumented students who have high levels of

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personal and environmental protective factors (e.g., supportive parents, friends, and
participation in school activities) report higher levels of academic success than
students with similar risk factors and lower levels of personal and environmental
resources (Corondao, Cortez, Espinoza, Perez & Ramos, 2009). We believe that
hosting campus wide workshops for departments and student groups not familiar to
the rigorous path of the undocumented student can bind groups together for the
supportive nature needed by this community. In order to make this happen, we
suggest that the Latino Research Center continue their dedicated work toward the
undocumented community and fulfil what is needed to host these informative
seminars. Additional cost consists of marketing objects like T-shirts and pens given
at the workshops. Also, a budget for food and technology would be proposed to
have the proper resources to effectively showcase the purpose of the workshop and
the importance of the NIU community support. The budget for this initiative would
remain under $4,000 and can collaborate with any departments or groups willing to
support this cause.

Northern Illinois University has done an excellent job within its campus radius to
assist the undocumented student community, but it is simply not enough. We are
recommending a state wide initiative with the collaboration of peer universities and
institutions to push for state assistance in providing a form of financial aid similar to
the states mentioned earlier in this memorandum. For this initiative, universities
would create a state wide committee to push state legislation to understand the needs
of undocumented students while providing statistics in favor of the committees
purpose. Voicing a suggestion is seldom heard alone, but if institutions in
collaboration with community colleges agree to push for state aid for undocumented
students, it can benefit many of the higher education schools that have dedicated
their time and efforts into developing the struggling undocumented community; for
example Northern Illinois University. A liaison will need to be elected and or a
possible chair for the committee as well. Responsibility to update administrators
would be expected, along with state status and progressions. We believe an assistant
director or director of the Latino Resource Center can fill the role to lead this
initiative and a budget to cover traveling costs and miscellaneous expenses should
not exceed over $1,000.

Lastly, we would like to continue the initiatives of attending national and state rallies
to showcase support and presence toward undocumented students. Power comes
with numbers and when the numbers are not financially orientated the numbers must
be filled with student representation to continue the movement. We ask that the
university assist in funding transportation for 300 students per event taking place.
Additional costs can be covered by the student or faculty member that decides to
attend. We also suggest covering the cost of some of the most passionate faculty
members to lead the group in a respectable and appropriate fashion. Estimated cost
can range from $1,000-$3,000 depending on distance of travel and choice of bus
rental and transportation.

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We stand today as a united task force, willing to exert efforts to a continuous issue
that has the severity to ruin or the potential to construct the lives of some of the most
persistent students witnessed in higher education. We hope there is a follow through
to all of the recommendations listed above as time has become an enemy to this
student community. As we avoid the influence of a possible negative reality, we
shift our focus to acting in unison for a common goal. With actions set, we hope to
diminish some of the toughest barriers placed on undocumented students.

TASK FORCE REPORT

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References
Berdahl, R. O., Altbach, P. G., & Gumport, P. G. (2011) The Contexts of American
Higher Education. In P. G. Altbach, P. J. Gumport, & R. O. Berdahl (Eds.),
American higher education in the twenty-first century: Social, political, and
economic challenges (3rd Ed.; pp. 1-11). Baltimore: John Hopkins University.

Big Future by the College Board. (2016). For undocumented students: questions
and answers about paying for college. Retrieved found:
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-started/for-undocumented-students/questions-
and-answers-about-paying-for-college

Choose Your Future. (2016). DREAMers pathway to college. Retrieved found:


https://chooseyourfuture.cps.edu/high-school-college-career/undocumented-
students/

College Board. (2016). Advising undocumented students. Retrieved found:


https://professionals.collegeboard.org/guidance/financial-aid/undocumented-
students

Coronado, H. Cortez, R. Espinosa, R. Perez, W. Ramos, K. (2009). Academic


resilience among undocumented latino students. Retrieved found: Hispanic Journal
of Behavioral Science

Education Commission of the States. (2015). State legislations: by state. Retrieved


found: http://www.ecs.org/state-legislation-by-state/

Educators for Fair Consideration. (2012). An overview of college-bound


undocumented students. Retrieved found: http://e4fc.org/images/Fact_Sheet.pdf

Flores, A. (2015). Undocumented students deserve greater access to higher


education. Retrieved found:
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/news/2015/03/31/110122/und
ocumented-students-deserve-greater-access-to-higher-education/

Haddon, H. (2015). Donald trump says he would deport illegal immigrants.


Retrieved found: http://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-saying-illegal-immigrants-
have-to-go-targets-obama-orders-1439738967

Illinois Association for College Admission Counseling. (2009). College advising


guide for undocumented students. Retrieved found:
https://www.iacac.org/undocumented/

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Illinois Coalition for Refugee and Immigrant Rights. (2016). Illinois DREAM Act.
Retrieved found: http://icirr.org/illinoisdream
Illinois Dream Act. (2015). An undocumented students guide to college. Retrieved
found: http://icirr.org/sites/default/files/Student%20Guide%202015.pdf

National Conference of State Legislators. (2014). Undocumented student tuition:


state action. Retrieved found:
http://www.ncsl.org/research/education/undocumented-student-tuition-state-
action.aspx

Perez, W. (2010). Higher education access for undocumented students. Retrieved


found: http://www.cccie.org/images/stories/Perez_2010-JCA.24210357.pdf

Perez, Z. (2013). Removing barriers to higher education for undocumented students.


Retrieved found:
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/immigration/report/2014/12/05/101366/re
moving-barriers-to-higher-education-for-undocumented-students/

Pew Research Center. (2011). Demographic profile of Hispanics in Illinois, 2011.


Retrieved found: http://www.pewhispanic.org/states/state/il/

University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research. (2014). The


educational attainment of Chicago school students. Retrieved found:
https://consortium.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/publications/Fast%20Facts
%20Brief.pdf

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