A Look at the Coalition for HB 1079 through Video

Coalition Raises Awareness of Undocumented Students at WSU Vancouver

The Washington State Equal Access Coalition for HB 1079 Students met at WSU Vancouver to provide training on ongoing higher education reform laws and best practices for working with undocumented students. The Coalition routinely travels across the state training university staff on how to help undocumented students through the higher education process. Laws such as HB 1079, which provides in-state tuition rates to eligible undocumented students, and President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals all were focused on at the training. This video takes a look at that event.

Marcela Pattinson: Educating on Undocumented Students

Marcela Pattinson works as a bilingual multicultural financial aid counselor at Washington State University as well as the coordinator for the Washington State Educational Access Coalition for HB 1079 Students. This video serves as a profile story and incorporates footage from the event video in addition to interview segments.

A ‘How-to Guide’ for 1079 Students Seeking Higher Ed. Funding

No loans, no grants, no aid. If every student at Washington State University faced such a daunting trifecta of financial aid challenges, midterms and finals would certainly slip down a notch on the list of college student woes.

For 1079 students attending Washington universities though, this financial challenge remains an everyday reality. With no access to traditional forms of state and federal aid, 1079 students must seek help from financial aid experts who offer “creative” routes for students to continue their education.

ROUTES TO AID
At Washington State University Vancouver, resident expert April Lappin jumps into this role to assist students. Lappin, the financial aid and scholarships manager, has spent the last eight years helping students of all backgrounds and residency statuses find financial funding to attend classes.

The funding options decrease significantly for 1079 students, but Lappin and the WSU financial aid team work with students to find scholarships and funding opportunities.

“We give them the same resources we would give other students as far as scholarships—general information about scholarships, where to find them, how to do a scholarship search, how to apply,” said Lappin. “People who don’t fully understand 1079 students are thinking, ‘There’s all these resources dedicated specifically to these students,’ but that’s not true. They actually have fewer resources than the average student.”

Lappin always underscores the importance of students getting “creative.” Although HB 1079 allows for in-state tuition rates for undocumented students, a year at WSU costs $11,386 before any fees, books and housing. This amount typically comes out-of-pocket for 1079 students. As a result, even with scholarships, most 1079 students must find inventive ways to pay for school.

“We try and get creative with students to help them know that, even if it’s a long process, there is a way to do it. Many of these students take one or two classes at a time while working multiple jobs to save money for school,” said Lappin.

One such student transferred to WSU Vancouver from Clark College after working four jobs this past summer to save for classes. He mowed lawns, worked as a mechanic and bussed tables at a local restaurant while also serving as a Spanish tutor to pay for bus fare to and from campus. Fortunately, subsequent WSU Vancouver scholarship support helped to lessen a small amount of the financial strain.

In addition to scholarships, other opportunities for aid include the Vancouver Academic Achievement Award and internship waivers. The Vancouver Academic Achievement Award grants a $4,000 annual award to high school students who apply for admission by the priority deadline, have a 3.6 GPA average and an SAT score of at least 1150. Students may also receive full or partial tuition waivers by working in campus internships. Lappin stresses the importance of students being “competitive” through community service and university involvement in order to bolster their chances of receiving such waivers and scholarships.

Such financial assistance can provide a great advantage to 1079 students who often help support their families in between working and attending classes. This initiative and hard work can go overlooked by society, but those within the university system recognize the dedication.

“You cannot talk to a student who falls into this status without being amazed by them. They’re really survivors in how they will fight for their education,” said Lappin. “They don’t have a sense of entitlement; they are hard workers. They don’t want to be given everything, not even anything extra. They just want the same as their peers.”

A HOW-TO APPROACH
For 1079 students seeking to capitalize on Lappin’s advice, they can follow this approach:

The first step for any student is to apply for admission by the priority deadline. For WSU, Jan. 31 serves as the cutoff date. Applying by this date ensures that students will meet the majority of scholarship application deadlines as well as some waiver requirements.

1079 students must also “self-disclose” by filling out an affidavit asserting their eligibility for state tuition rates under HB 1079. Only university personnel see the document, and the university destroys the affidavit after completion.

After finishing the admission process, students should begin by submitting themselves as a candidate for university scholarships. At WSU, students can complete this application process simultaneously with their admission application. This places students in the applicant pool for the system-wide scholarships.

Once students have completed the system-wide application, they should look for scholarships specific to schools. Unlike the university-wide scholarships, WSU Vancouver offers scholarships available only to WSU Vancouver students. The application is typically more involved, but the pool of applicants remains much smaller than the system-wide pool. Applications for most WSU Vancouver scholarships close in March.

Also in March, interested students should apply for internships with tuition waivers. While 1079 students remain ineligible for paid positions, tuition waivers do not require a particular residency status. Positions at WSU Vancouver with full or partial tuition waivers include Office of Student Involvement internships, a Student Diversity intern, a Student Affairs intern and the Student Ambassador program.

Throughout this process, 1079 students should utilize the Internet to search for any private scholarships not directly related to the university. Sites such as the WashBoard and the Seattle Foundation all provide a diverse array of scholarship opportunities.

Finally, students should speak to their university financial aid staff about any questions or concerns. The WSU Vancouver financial aid team hosts multiple workshops throughout the year and encourages students to talk freely about financial concerns.

Uncovering the DREAM: 2012 Political Climate Sparks Renewed Interest in Stalled Legislation

The DREAM may fade and fluctuate with each congressional session and political cycle, but the dream does not die.

An acronym for “Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors,” the DREAM Act has attempted to provide a path to residency and education for undocumented immigrants since the Senate first introduced the bill on Aug. 1, 2001. The bill, which has repeatedly stalled and restarted in U.S. Congress for more than a decade, has gained new prominence due to the 2012 elections and ongoing efforts in states like Washington to provide financial aid to 1079 students.

Key to this bill—and its relevancy to this blog series—is the emphasis it places on higher education.

Although the eligibility stipulations change each time Congress reintroduces the bill, the DREAM Act would offer six years of conditional permanent residency to undocumented residents of “good moral standing” who have graduated from U.S. high schools, arrived in the United States as minors and have lived in the country continuously for at least five years prior to the bill’s enactment. Within those six years of conditional residency, DREAM Act beneficiaries must complete two years of college or serve two years in the military. Those who have met all terms within the allotted time would obtain permanent residency status.

The Latino/a Educational Achievement Project has encouraged students to lobby for the issues that affect them. Pictured here in Olympia with Rep. Tina Orwall. (Photo credit: LEAP)

Ricardo Sanchez, founder and chairman of the Latino/a Educational Achievement Project (LEAP), has done significant lobbying at the state level for the DREAM Act and 1079 students. Sanchez attributes part of the DREAM Act’s repeated legislative defeats to extreme partisanship and a “no compromise” attitude amongst some members of Congress.

President Obama renewed the political debate this past June after initiating the “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” program. Deferred action incorporates elements of the DREAM Act, and offers two-year work permits to undocumented immigrant youth who meet certain criteria.

“Deferred action does not change immigration law, which is the job of Congress; it uses an administrative remedy called prosecutorial discretion that has been available to Homeland Security,” said Sanchez. “The difference is Obama ordered it to be used for individuals meeting certain conditions.”

Both deferred action and the DREAM Act have faced particular criticism from some political conservatives who perceive them as “amnesty programs” that reward illegal behavior.

“The President’s amnesty program is a magnet for fraud and abuse,” said U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith in a public statement. “While potentially millions of illegal immigrants will be permitted to compete with American workers for scarce jobs, there seems to be little if any mechanism in place for vetting fraudulent applications and documentation submitted by illegal immigrants.”

This political polarization on immigration has heightened with the 2012 elections and presents a significant hurdle to 1079 students in Washington who would benefit from the DREAM act. In addition to the stipulation requiring two years of college, the DREAM Act proposes access to student loans and work-study for eligible undocumented immigrants. While they would not receive grants, the addition of loans and work-study access would bolster academic opportunities for Washington’s 1079 students.

Although deferred action offers no provisions for financial aid, HB 1079 supporters see the program as an opportunity to further advocate for 1079 financial aid at the state level. LEAP recently began the push for opening Washington State Need Grant eligibility to 1079 students.

For the 1079 students at Washington universities, that would mean the same consideration for the state need grant as the rest of their peers. At Washington State University, that comes roughly to an average of $6000 per eligible student. This would likely lead to less dependency on private scholarships and more students attending the university.

Pending the results of the 2012 elections, the future of the DREAM Act and 1079 aid remains up in the air. Support must come from both political parties in order for the DREAM Act and 1079 financial legislation to pass.

“Don’t lose hope,” said Sanchez when asked what advice he could offer to those waiting for the DREAM Act to pass. “Know that we are continuing to fight and one day, it will happen. I believe this. Just as it was inevitable that civil rights legislation would change the course of this country, I believe the righteousness as well as the educational and economic imperatives will eventually win out.”

An Introduction to HB 1079

Washington State Capitol (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1079. For undocumented immigrants in Washington State colleges, the number “1079” holds great significance to their identity. Known to the public by a string of other terms, 1079 informs the way others perceive these students and influences the way these students view themselves.

Recognized officially as Washington State House Bill 1079, Gov. Gary Locke signed HB 1079 into law May 7, 2003. Still in effect nearly a decade later, the law enables undocumented immigrants who have lived in Washington State for three years to attend Washington colleges and universities at the resident tuition rate. Additionally, the students must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent.

While the law treats undocumented immigrants as residents for tuition purposes, all other resident rights—such as the right to work legally in the United States or the right to social security—do not apply. Perhaps more importantly, the law does not provide provisions for any form of federal or state financial aid for those pursing a college education under the shelter of HB 1079.

The passage of HB 1079 helped clear a major hurdle for undocumented immigrants seeking to attend college, but how can one pay for college—albeit at a state resident tuition rate—without the ability to legally work or apply for financial aid?

Known commonly to the public as “illegals” and to university personnel as “1079 students,” the students most affected by this law often attend school while seeking tuition funds through private scholarships and any employment they can secure. Just like many other college students, 1079 students must simultaneously maintain their academic studies while looking for tuition funding sources.

Yet, unlike state citizens and permanent residents, 1079 students cannot counterbalance out-of-pocket expenses with financial aid. They remain ineligible not only for the state grants, school commitment waivers and federal funding frequently bemoaned by some Americans as “freebies,” but also the equally bemoaned student loans. Subsidized, unsubsidized, parent-plus and even high-interest loans all fall into the financial aid “package”—a package completely off limits for all 1079 students.

With typical avenues for student funding hovering off in a visible but inaccessible realm, where does that leave 1079 students? This series of articles aims to explore this question and take a closer look at 1079 students in the Washington State University system. Through examining policies concerning 1079 students, gaging public awareness and scrutinizing ongoing media coverage, I hope this blog will provide a greater understanding of the challenges facing 1079 students. Thanks in part to interviews with students, faculty, university administrations and independent immigration specialists, these articles will offer a broad spectrum of perspectives on 1079 students in Washington State and Washington State University Vancouver in particular.

Further heightening the relevancy of the issues surrounding 1079 students, this year’s tightened immigration laws, elections and deferred action program give the issue a new urgency that demands attention. Other media sources have conducted investigations of their own, but too often political polarization hogs the spotlight and overshadows the facts and faces behind the issues.

Ultimately, this series will provide a comprehensive look at 1079 students attending Washington State University Vancouver. It will not though, dispute or support the legality of 1079 students’ presence in America. My purpose remains not to debate how 1079 students got here or when they arrived, but how Washington State plans to handle the issue now that it has admitted them as “resident” students into the university system. Through this lens of examination, we can hope to gain a fair and informed perception of the students known to the state only by the number 1079.

If you have thoughts or stories concerning 1079 students that you would like to contribute to the conversation, please e-mail them to jacob.schmidt@email.wsu.edu.

For those looking for further information concerning 1079 students, the following links provide information on topics discussed in this introduction:

• http://coalition.wsu.edu/ (Provides general information on how Washington State University handles 1079 students and Coalition News.)

• http://www.leapwa.org/assets/docs/forms/affidavit_hb1079.pdf (Links to the affidavit 1079 students must complete in order to be eligible for state tuition rates.)