ESTABLISHING AN UNDOCUMENTED
STUDENT RESOURCE CENTER
LESSONS LEARNED IN OUR FIRST YEAR: UC DAVIS AB540 & UNDOCUMENTED STUDENT
CENTER
Overview
Our foundation
Services provided
Programs & Partnerships
Legal Services
Ally Training
Planning
Defining our terms
•AB540: California’s in-state tuition exemption
•CA DREAM Act: Financial Aid legislation
•UCOP: University of California Office of the President
•DACA: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
Our foundation
Inspiration, frameworks and priorities
STUDENT SUCCESS FRAMEWORK
As defined by Laura I. Rendón:
• Avoids a deficit based perspectives
• Provides high quality, asset-based academic and student support
services
• Trains and prepares faculty and staff to work with a new student
demographic
Rendón, Laura I. Leveraging Student Assets to Foster Success, Keynote Address at Hispanic Community College
Conference. Ankeny, Iowa, October 16, 2014
STUDENT PROPOSAL
• April 2013: We request that we are given the opportunity to work with
Vice Chancellor Adela de la Torre in creating an AB 540 Resource
Center with the staff designated solely for the needs of AB 540 and
undocumented students. In order to run an effective and successful
center, we need a trained program coordinator and student staff
managing the everyday needs of the center. The staff would be adept
in all AB 540 and undocumented student related needs and issues in
addition to serving as leaders for the center. The addendum or policy
change will allow the center to staff AB 540 and undocumented
students who are committed to help maintain the center.
PRIORITIES
• Creating a safe space for undocumented Students at UC Davis
• Student support and retention
• Collaboration across campus departments
• Educating campus community
• Creating and coordinating resources
• Providing outreach to high school and
Community college
SYSTEM-WIDE INITIATIVE
October 30, 2013, UC President Janet Napolitano announced:
“At UC, students from all backgrounds are welcome. Undocumented
students often face unique challenges in pursuing their academic goals.
This initiative will increase student access and success by enhancing
systemwide and campus-specific resources for undocumented UC
students.”
• Equity Initiative
• 5 million dollars across 9 campuses to be spent in two years
• Funded through one-time reserves. No tuition dollars or state funds were used.
• System-wide summit held after year one
ONE-STOP:
HOLISTIC RESOURCE CENTER
Safe Space
Bilingual
materials
Mental Health
Professional
Creative selfexpression
Textbook &
laptop
lending library
Emergency
Loan Program
Academic
advising &
support
Housing
Resources
Food Security
Advocacy &
outreach
Legal support
AB540/Undocum
ented Student
Resource Center
Career
Development
Where We Began…
• Creating awareness
• Defining the center and our mission
• Marketing & outreach
• Location, location, location
• Public vs. private
• Finite availability
• Developing infrastructure
• Financial support & Development
• Operating principles
• Creating curriculum
• Building Trust
• Involving students in every aspect
• Getting to know each other
AB540 & UNDOCUMENTED STUDENT CENTER
ORGANIZATION
Information
Services
CoCurricular
Programs
Advisory
INFORMATION
• Academic Advising
• Financial Aid
• Health Care
• Banking
• Driver’s Licenses/State ID’s
• DACA—renewals/initials
• Financial Literacy
• Workplace Know Your Rights
• EOP/PAC outreach
• Professional Skills
• Resume Writing
• Interview Skills
SERVICES
• Legal Consultations
• Mental Health- Counselors
• Study Jams/Quiet hours
• Writing Tutor
• Scholarship Jams
• Meal Program
• Emergency grants
• Pending:
• Textbook support
• Laptop lending/financing
• Research mentorship
CO CURRICULAR PROGRAMS
Ally Training
• Educators
• Peer
Symposia
• AB540 Awareness Week
• Yolo County Educators’
• URAW
• Affordable Living Resources
Legal Workshops
• VAWA/T&U Visas
• DACA Renewal
• Translator training
• Advance Parole
Mental Health & Wellness
• Cafecito Support Group
• Health Happens Here
• Writer’s Circle
ADVISORY
• UC Davis Departments
• Yolo County:
• Supervisor’s Office
• City of Davis
• Public Schools
• High School Outreach
•
•
•
•
Woodland
Dixon
Sacramento
Winters
Community College Outreach
• Sacramento
• Woodland
THE FAB FOUR
Registrar
School of Law
Immigration
Clinic
AB540 &
Undoc.
Student
Center
Financial Aid
Admissions
COMPREHENSIVE
COMMUNITY-BASED
PARTNERSHIPS:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
ACADEMIC ADVISORS
COUNSELING SERVICES
INTERNSHIP & CAREER CENTER
OTHER RESOURCE CENTERS
ETHNIC STUDIES DEPARTMENTS
STUDENT VOLUNTEERS
CITY & COUNTY OFFICES
FAITH BASED ORGANIZATIONS
EXTERNAL LEGAL
ORGANIZATIONS
LEGAL SERVICES FOR
UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS
Partnership with the UC Davis School of Law
Immigration Clinic
• The Immigration Clinic is a legal services non-profit
• Drop-in weekly office hours in the AB540 & Undocumented
Student Center
• In-depth assistance at the Immigration Law Clinic
• Available to students, their family members, and community
members
• Mutually funded
Benefits of Immigration Legal Services
Foster academic success of students
Promote general well-being, safety, and growth of students
Build partnerships with other community organizations
Offer immigration legal support and resources to other campus
departments
• Serve the greater community
•
•
•
•
Breakdown of Service Areas
Service Area
Number
Percent
Family-Based Petitions
50
25%
Renewal DACA
40
20%
Initial DACA
29
15%
DAPA
24
12%
Other
20
10%
Advance Parole
18
9%
Naturalization
7
4%
Victim-Based Petitions
6
3%
Criminal or Detention
3
2%
TOTAL
197
100%
Breakdown of Service Areas
Cases as of May 19, 2015
How can we set up immigration legal services on
our campus?
• In-house staff attorney
• Either with an Undocumented Student Center or another oncampus department.
• Partnership with nearby law school or legal non-profit
• State Bar Association Programs
• Application assistance workshops
• Legal information workshops
• Referral coordinator
Best Practices
In-house staff attorney, either funded by the university or
through a partnership with a law school or legal non-profit
• Alternatively: A confidential space dedicated to legal services for
undocumented students
Availability of services for students’ family members and
community members
Capacity to screen for stronger forms of immigration relief
Best Practices
Connections with community organizations
Trainings, educational programs, and other
support for other campus departments
Training for Center staff about the confidentiality
protections for people they refer to the attorney(s)
Best Practices
In Progress:
• Support for students’ immigration application fees
• Non-immigration legal services for undocumented individuals
UNDOCUALLY PROGRAM FOR
EDUCATORS
UNDOCUALLY PROGRAM FOR EDUCATORS: VISION
• A professional learning opportunity
for educators to develop and
enhance their working knowledge
regarding serving undocumented
student populations and validating
their presence at UC Davis.
• Target audience: faculty, staff, and
graduate/professional students
• Facilitators: AB540 & Undocumented
Center, Immigration Law School, and
Counseling Services
First UndocuAlly Program for Educator’s cohort
2014-2015
UNDOCUALLY PROGRAM FOR EDUCATORS:
IMPLEMENTATION
• Two focus groups and two
mock sessions
• Three hour long session
•
•
•
•
•
Laws and Policies
Access and Support
Student Panel
Mental Health
Best Practices
• Six campus-wide sessions during
the 2014-2015 academic year
•Around 220 participants
Last UndocuAlly Program for Educators cohort
2014-2015
UNDOCUALLY PROGRAM FOR EDUCATORS: DATA
• Pre- and post-test completed
at each session
• Five multiple choice questions,
paper based
•completed by all
participants
*Placard provided to all participants
to display in their offices
UPE: Pre/Post Preliminary Analysis
•Takeaway #1
Participants have “pre-existing” knowledge regarding
undocumented student experiences and challenges
•misinformed vs. well informed
•Takeaway #2
Language sensitivity, specifically the use of the term “illegal,”
continues to be an area of growth
•Takeaway #3
Participants do not equate providing referrals with effective
allyship
UNDOCUALLY PROGRAM FOR EDUCATORS:
NEXT STEPS
• UndocuAlly Program for Educators 2.0
• Sessions content-focused (e.g. academic advising, financial aid, etc.)
• Department-specific versions
• E-learning component (in progress)
• UndocuAlly Peer Training
Making Plans
PLANNING…
Assess situation
Campus
climate
Current Policies
& Legislation
Campus
processes
Students Needs
Identify Resources (not just funding)
Key departments
Individual allies
Community resources
MORE PLANNING…
Model
Embedded Services
Program
Center
Develop content
Goals
Programs
Services
Timelines
SB247: Dream Centers Testimony: California Senate Committee on Education
THANK YOU!
CONTACT INFORMATION
Marcus Tang
UC Davis Immigration Law Clinic
(530) 752-1691
mtang-clinic@law.ucdavis.edu
Andrea Gaytan
AB540 & Undocumented Student Center
(530)752-7270
agaytan@ucdavis.edu
Vanessa Segundo
AB540 & Undocumented Student Center
(530)752-9538
vsegundo@ucdavis.edu