Dive Brief:
- The EWA profiles the coverage of undocumented students throughout the nation. Florida offers in-state tuition to those meeting certain criteria, while states like Georgia maintain admission prohibitions for public institutions.
- Two Georgia schools, Augusta University and Georgia State University, have begun admitting undocumented students because of changes in their level of competitiveness, but these students are required to pay out-of-state tuition rates.
- Elected officials in both Georgia and Florida are considering tougher rules on general admissions for undocumented students, with initiatives like the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals likely to be reversed by federal law.
Dive Insight:
States like Texas have threatened to withhold appropriations for campuses seeking offer "sanctuary" to undocumented students, forcing college presidents into a difficult position of meeting public will from the campus and the statehouse. But leaders at all campuses where immigration is a hot topic also must consider the climate of perspective among students and faculty, and the financial benefit of admission to a broader group of prospective learners.
In the end, campuses will have to follow state and federal statutes. But before they are changed, they can also use the powerful protesting and lobbying power of students and faculty to profile research and expose public will against any policies they deem as harmful to the campus, or as a violation of basic human protections and rights.