State community college leaders are concerned about a dramatic drop in financial aid applications among undocumented students, due, in part perhaps, to the political climate in Washington, D.C., and the Trump White House.
But Eloy Ortiz Oakley, chancellor of California’s 113 community colleges, reminded that assistance is still available through the California Dream Act and urged eligible students to apply.
His announcement, in a press release issued in February, came several days after President Donald Trump broadened immigration enforcement policies, directing federal officials to find, arrest and deport those in the country illegally, regardless of whether they have committed serious crimes.
“It’s apparent that the national conversation surrounding immigration and deportation has created an environment that is confusing and threatening to many of our students,” Oakley said in the prepared statement. “Under the (California) Dream Act, no student’s personal information is shared at the federal level.”
A name given to Assembly bills 130 and 131, the California Dream Act allows some undocumented student to apply for and receive state-based financial aid and college scholarships.
Oakley also encouraged all eligible students to apply for the Cal Grant, as well as other forms of state-funded financial aid, such as the Board of Governors Fee Waiver, available year-round.
He noted that, last year at this time, the California Student Aid Commission had received 34,000 applications.
But just a few days before the March 2 Cal Grant deadline for new applications, there were only 20,000 applications on file, a 30 percent decrease year over year, Ortiz pointed out.
The state’s Dream Act allows undocumented students to apply for many of the same financial aid opportunities available to others. Renewal of Cal Grants under the Act can be made after March 2. For more information, visit www.icanaffordcollege.com.
Oakley’s statements also came two days after Trump rescinded Obama-era protections for transgender students, allowing them to use school bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their gender identity. The directive set off a clash of philosophies within his Cabinet, notably between Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a former Republican senator from Alabama, and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. His statements also come after Trump released his $1.1 trillion 2018 budget that called for a $9 billion cutback to the Department of Education budget.
“The California Community Colleges has always embraced the values of diversity and inclusion,” said Oakley. “It is what makes our system, and the state of California, strong and prosperous. Our 113 community college campuses are a promise to the future and their doors are open to all eligible students. I urge everyone to apply.”
The California Community Colleges system is the largest of its kind in the nation. It includes 72 districts and 113 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year.
Community colleges supply workforce training, basic-skills education, and prepare students for transfer to four-year colleges.
