Spartan Daily

Spartans explore the financial aid implications of the DREAM Act

dreamact2_sduren_02192012 Members of SAHE, the Student Advocates for Higher Education, discuss the DREAM act during one of their weekly meetings. Photo by Sierra Duren

dreamact_sduren_02192012 Social Work Senior Verónica Carrillo listens attentively as members of SAHE, the Student Advocates for Higher Education, discuss the DREAM act during one of their weekly meetings. Photo by Sierra Duren

Immigrant and undocumented students will be eligible for Cal Grants starting in the fall 2013 semester when the California DREAM Act takes effect.

“(This act can) create a safe culture on campus for a student to reveal their undocumented status, which may help in creating a network of support" said Caz Salamanca, interim associate director for MOSAIC Cross Cultural Center.

The MOSAIC Center provides social diversity information and resources to students, according to the department’s website.

“(We need to) drop the word illegal alien…it criminalizes undocumented students (and is) very dehumanizing,” he said.

The California DREAM Act of 2011, or Assembly Bill 131 outlines scholarship and grant opportunities applicable to students who live in the state, these opportunities would be the same as those offered to California residents with citizenships – the onus is on school officials to offer all available aid, according to the document.

The Act was passed on October 9, 2011 when Gov. Jerry Brown signed the bill, enacting the legislation.

To qualify for the financial aid, a student must satisfy these conditions, according to californiadreamact.org:

1. Attend a California secondary school for three or more years; at least one year needs to be at a California high school.

2. Graduate from a California secondary school or attain the equivalent.

3. If undocumented, the filing of an affidavit with the college or university stating that they have applied for a lawful immigration status or will apply as soon as they are eligible to do so.

Assembly Bill 540 is a 2001 law that allows undocumented students the ability to pay in-state resident tuition if they attended a California high school and received a diploma or equivalent certification, according to the Student Outreach & Recruitment department.

According to the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office, there are currently 350 AB 540 students enrolled at the SJSU, including students who are here on a student visa.

Instead of filing a FAFSA, undocumented students would fill out a still-in-development application (expected to be ready by January 2013) to determine eligibility for financial aid, according to the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office.

The DREAM ACT would not create new programs for the Fall 2013–Spring 2014 academic year to offer students and AB 540 students will not begin receiving funds until all legal residents have applied for aid, according to the Financial Aid and Scholarship Office.

MOSAIC hosts the AB 540 Help Desk, which helps AB 540 students with resources and assistance, according to the Education Opportunity Program AB 540 Resource Guide.

Student Advocates for Higher Education promotes higher education among immigrant students regardless of legal status, according to the Education Opportunity Program AB 540 Resource Guide

The organization held its first meeting of the semester on Thursday in room 525 of the Cultural Heritage Center Meeting Room at King Library.

Cesar Juarez, a social sciences graduate and an events organizer, is one of the senior members of the group, having been with SAHE since 2007.

The DREAM Act is a point of pride with Juarez, who said SAHE spoke with local and state politicians to increase awareness of the DREAM Act.

“(SAHE gives) presentations in high school, community centers, and churches to make community members aware about AB 540 and the DREAM ACT (and what it means for them),” Juarez said.

Daniel Villalobos, a sophomore graphic design major, said “I’m very excited (by the Act’s passage), I have a cousin who doesn’t have her papers, so I’m excited for her to be able to go to college.”

In the 2009-2010 school year, Associated Students said they passed a resolution that advocated for AB 540 students, as it supported a change in language that allows undocumented students to become eligible for AS scholarships that were normally not offered.

The resolution outlines the unclear wording of the ST. S. Saffold Scholarship offered by Associated Students, which provides no help to students who cannot file a FAFSA, the rest deals with a change in terminology regarding undocumented students and AS' backing on all programs and opportunities made available.

Liliana Salazar, a senior engineering major and SAHE member, is an undocumented student and said she was unaware of the obstacles facing her when figuring out how to pay for school.

"When I told (my high school counselors about my undocumented status) they stopped helping me," Salazar said.  "I had to figure out how to go to college on my own…it's been super-stressful, it’s like another class.”

She said her prospects for employment are affected by her status.

“It is difficult to obtain engineering internships and work; the majority are federally funded — sometimes it's very depressing to feel that you have some much potential and not have the opportunity to show it," Salazar said.

Salazar said she believes the DREAM Act is a step in the right direction by presenting undocumented students as capable students and “not just another statistic.”

Though it’s too late to reap the benefits of the DREAM Act, Salazar said her sisters will be able to apply for financial aid to attend universities.

She said the ultimate goal for undocumented students is for them to obtain citizenship, but in the meantime it’s necessary to educate students on what aid and support groups are available to them.

“I would like to be able to help my community by establishing programs for minority students focused on the sciences and engineering,” Salazar said.

The expected financial impact of the DREAM Act on SJSU is expected to be minimal, according to Marcos Pizarro, a Mexican-American studies professor.

“I don't think it's going to have a dramatic effect on the University,” he said. “The biggest issue the country needs to figure out is how to get these students employment opportunities once they graduate and want to contribute to the community."

Pizarro said he believes there needs to be a federal law to address the lack of employment opportunities for undocumented students, as they are a vibrant and critical part of our community, they often came here at a very young age, grew up here, and want to give back to their communities.

“They work very hard, pay for their entire education on their own, volunteer, and add a vital and unique perspective to the intellectual community at SJSU — the least we can do is to treat them like we do the rest of the students they have gone to school with all of their lives,” Pizarro said.

Opponents of undocumented immigrant rights are displeased with the passage of the DREAM act, according to a statement by California Assemblyman, Tim Donnelly of the 59^th district.

“The simple truth is, we do not have the money (to pay for undocumented students’ education) — AB 131 is irresponsible, insulting and unfair,” he stated on his website.

The website said providing public funds to undocumented students for higher education was an increased burden to taxpayers.

Pizarro refutes Donnelly’s assertion.

“The reality is that undocumented folks contribute in very significant ways to the economy on multiple levels, not the least of which is taxes collected to pay for public schooling,” Pizarro said.