Creating Educational Equity for
Undocumented Students
Rose Carmona-Arbulú, M.A. Ed
Financial Aid Counselor
AB 540/Undocumetented Student
Advisor
Task Force Chair
A Brief History of
Undocumented Students
• Staff, faculty & administrators committed to traditionally underserved students
• Implementation of AB 540 ~ 2001
• Training, guidelines and campus initiatives non-existent
• Lack of knowledge and information regarding needs of AB 540/Undocumented
Students
• Student group organized 2007 ~ Improving Dreams Equity Access & Success
(IDEAS)
• AB 540/Undocumented Student Advisors Appointed
• Educating and training campus community
• Undocumented Student Mental Health Initiative ~ Counseling and Psychological
Services
• Grassroots campus organizing
• Continue the Dream for Academic Excellence Scholarship
• AB 540/Undocumented Student Educational Equity Task Force
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Building Institutional Change
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Continue the Dream for Academic
Excellence Scholarship
• 2011 Established specifically to help undocumented
students
• Scholarship committee: ASI Project Connect, Metro
Academies, Office of Student Financial Aid, Raza
Faculty and Staff Association, Raza Studies, Step to
College, The Safe Place, and Undergraduate
Admissions
• Award amount varies
• Annual fundraising
• Faculty and Staff Contribute Monthly
• Every $ counts
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• Leading and Collaborating with the SF State
Campus community and local bay area
• Helping undocumented students have equal access
to higher education
• Above and Beyond Financial Aid Counselor duties
• Scholarship 101 Workshops for Undocumented
Students
• Provide Additional Resources
• Student Assistant Position
• Website
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AB 540/Undocumented Student
Website
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AB 540/Undocmented Student
Educational Equity Task Force
Mission
The San Francisco State University AB540/Undocumented
Students Educational Equity Task Force is a coalition of staff,
students, faculty and administrators dedicated to supporting
the academic, professional and personal success of
undocumented students enrolled at the university, as well as
those of undocumented prospective students. The Task
Force seeks to support the higher educational aspirations of
undocumented students by identifying and effectively
addressing the institutional barriers to their enrollment,
retention and graduation, and by supporting their personal
empowerment and resiliency, as well as their experience of
the university as a safe and welcoming campus.
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More Work To Be Done!
• More campus training needed
• Continue outreach efforts to students
• Staff/Resource Center
• Scholarships specifically for Undocumented Students
• Affordable housing options
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Rose Carmona-Arbulú
rcarmona@sfsu.edu