This article was published in the 2009 Year in Review issue of The Daily Tar Heel.
After more than a year of debate, the N.C. Community College System decided to allow undocumented immigrants to once again enroll in its schools.
But it could be next fall before undocumented immigrants can begin attending, and even when the policy change goes into effect, high tuition costs may deter many from pursuing the opportunity.
The new policy will require an undocumented immigrant to pay out-of-state tuition, at most $7,700 a year per student — about $6,050 more than in-state tuition would cost.
“That’s a lot of money for low-income families, especially without access to student loans,” said Ilana Dubester, interim executive director of the recently shuttered El Centro Latino.
The policy also requires that they be graduates of U.S. high schools and that they not take any citizen’s place in the community college system.
In 2008, the community college system board decided to temporarily ban undocumented immigrants from enrolling while conducting a study on the costs of their enrollment and making a permanent policy.
In September, the board voted to once again accept undocumented immigrants after the group conducting the study recommended that action.
The policy must go through a rules review process in the N.C. Office of Administrative Hearings before it is implemented, which can take anywhere from six months to a year, said Megen Hoenk, director of marketing and external affairs for the N.C. Community College System.
After the review process, the state board will vote whether to go forward with the policy or revise it.
If it is implemented, the enrollment of additional students could increase the burden on community colleges that are already facing difficulties because of budget cuts.
Hoenk said in the past year the economic crisis has caused a tremendous increase in the number of community college students.
“Any time there is a low budget and high enrollment … there are going to be difficulties,” Hoenk said.
But she said they are not turning students away from the schools.
While allowing undocumented immigrants might add pressure to the system, it will make the community colleges’ policy consistent with that of the UNC system, said Linda Weiner, vice president of engagement and strategic innovation for N.C. Community Colleges.
“The new policy gives them an opportunity to pursue education at a higher degree — a restricted opportunity — but it keeps the door open,” Weiner said.
Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
