Mery C. Hernandez, EOP Outreach and Admissions Counselor
Koji M. Uesugi, Interim Executive Director
Student Support & Equity Programs
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
EOP 40th Anniversary Conference, March 9, 2009
Objectives
The objectives of this session are to:
 Discuss the various challenges that undocumented
students on our college campus face
 Present the critical role that EOP can play to meet
the specific needs of undocumented students
 Discuss possible strategies that other campuses can
develop and implement to support these students
Learning Outcome
 At the end of the session attendees will be able to
identify specific strategies and campus wide
protocols that can be replicated and enhanced at
their institutions to meet the specific needs of
undocumented students.
The Context
 Every year over 65,000 undocumented students
graduate from high schools around the country and
overcome immense challenges to matriculate, finance,
and succeed in institutions of higher education.
 “Some students will attend a four-year institution,
others will find their way to community college.”
 Of those who go onto four-year institutions, many are
choosing CSU campuses
 However, attending college comes at a high price
Assembly Bill 540
 This bill would require that a person, other than a nonimmigrant alien as
defined, who has attended high school in California for 3 or more years, who
has graduated from a California high school or attained the equivalent
thereof, who has registered at or attends an accredited institution of higher
education in California no earlier that the fall semester or quarter of the
2001-02 academic year, and who, if he of she is an alien without lawful
immigration status, has filed an affidavit as specified, be exempt from
paying nonresident tuition at the California Community Colleges and
California State University.
Source: http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset2text.htm
AB 540 Eligibility Requirements
Sec. 2. Section 68130.5 is added to the Educational Code
High school attendance in California for three or more years.
1. Graduation from a California High School or attainment of the
equivalent thereof.
2. Registration as an entering student at, or current enrollment at,
an accredited institution of higher education in California not
earlier than the fall semester or quarter of the 2001-02 academic
year.
3. In case the of a person without lawful immigration status, the
filing of an affidavit with the institution of higher education
stating that the student has filed an application to legalize his or
her immigration status, or will file an application as soon as he or
she is eligible to so.*
*Student information obtained in the implementation of this section is
confidential.
Source: http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset2text.htm
Money is not the only challenge…
 In-state fees helps reduce the financial burden,
but undocumented students are not eligible for
financial aid
 There are many other challenges that they must
endure once they enroll in college
Student #1
 An incoming freshman student attends orientation
and stands in line to take a picture for an
Identification card.
 At the Admission’s front counter, the student is
told that IDs for new students are taken care of by
Orientation Services and the student is sent back
to Orientation to figure out his problem.
Student #2
 A student eligible for graduation prepares a
Graduation Check form and brings her student ID
along with the form to the Registrar’s Office.
 When the student informs the staff member about
not owning a SSN, the staff member responds in
disbelief with comments that the student felt were
disparaging remarks about individuals without
SSN’s and that reflected the staff members
personal views.
Student Email #1
Hello my name is ____.
I am currently a second year architecture student.
I am AB450 and I need to find information on internships.
I'm really afraid I'm not going to be able to graduate since I
need to do a 500 hrs internship with a registered Architect.
I would like to know if you guys can help me with any kind of
information.
I would really appreciate it.
Thank you very much for your time.
Student Email #2
My name is ________and I'm an AB540 senior engineering student. I will be
graduating this quarter and I was wondering if you could help me answer a few
questions. I was recently contacted by an engineering company who wanted to
interview me for a summer internship, but since I am an undocumented
student and I'm not legally allowed to work in the US they told me to go talk to
the international students office to see if there were any forms I could fill out
that would allow me to work in the internship. I looked up the international
students office website and it didn't seem that they would be of much help, so I
figured you would be a better person to ask. My main question is if there is
anything I could do or fill out that would allow me to take this
internship. Another questions I have is what are my possibilities after
graduating of getting a job as an engineer given the fact that I am
undocumented, I have heard of people getting jobs after filling out an H form
but I don't know if would qualify for that. Please let me know what I could
possibly do if anything.
Thank you
Barriers Then and Now
 Many undocumented students face many of the same
issues that underrepresented, first generation, low-income
students faced over 40 years ago in higher education
• Barriers to college admissions
• Socioeconomic challenges
• Difficulty integrating to the campus community
• Lack of college support services to meet their needs
• Hostile, unsympathetic environment
 Undocumented students face many of the same barriers
EOP students in general face today
SSEP’s Support
 Student Support & Equity Programs (SSEP)
• Home for EOP, Renaissance Scholars, and all university
Undeclared students
• 20 professional staff and 30 student staff provide various
levels of support
 SSEP’s commitment to support the unique needs of
undocumented students
• Formally incorporated AB 540 campus liaison
responsibilities to role of EOP Outreach and Admissions
Counselor’s (Mery)
• Provides a safe and inviting environment for students
Inspiration and Opportunity
 EOP’s philosophy of serving underserved populations
served as a catalyst to create opportunities to support
undocumented students
 Inspired to understand and advocate for undocumented
students’ issues and needs
• Gathered scholarship resources to help support their
financial needs
• Attended AB540 informational and outreach event
• Organized AB540 informational event at CPP
• Led to development of student organization at CPP
AB 540 Campus Liaison
• Serve as the university's official liaison for
undocumented AB 540 students (designated
and appointed by campus President)
• Meet regularly with high level administrators
• Serve on appropriate committees and in various
organizations, representing the needs and
interests of undocumented AB 540 students
AB 540 Campus Liaison
 Meet and/or confer with various offices
throughout the campus and serve as intermediary
between key departments
• Office Admissions & Outreach
• Visitor Center
• Orientation Services
• Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships
• Registrars Office
• Cashier’s Office
• Dean of Students & Judicial Affairs Office
• Office of Student Life & Cultural Centers
AB 540 Campus Liaison
 Organize and coordinate special events, workshops, and
services related to AB 540 issues both on and off-campus
 Attend meetings, conferences and professional development
activities to keep abreast of new developments related to this
law
 Advise undocumented AB 540 student organization
• Student Demand for Equity in Education (SDEE)
• Student Annual Fundraisers
 Identify and refer to campus resources and opportunities
• Campus Volunteering
• Unpaid Internships
• Cal Poly Credit Union
Cal Poly Pomona’s Commitment
• University President’s Support
• Meets regularly with student organization
• Student Affair’s Cabinet Support
• Student Affairs Professional Development
• Enrollment Services Workshops
• AB 540 Liaison Support
• Dean of Students’ Office
• Partnership
Campus Collaborations
• Academic Colleges Collaboration
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Anthropology Department
Liberal Studies Department
Ethnic & Women’s Studies Department
Political Science Department
• Student Affairs Collaboration
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Office of Student Life and Cultural Centers
Asian & Pacific Islander Student Center
Native American Student Center
Enrollment Services Collaboration
Cal Poly Pomona
Navigational Resources
• AB 540 Information & Resources website
http://dsa.csupomona.edu/ab540/?setactive=all
• Comprehensive Resource Guide (March 2009)
http://dsa.csupomona.edu/ab540/files/Website_AB_540_Resource_Guide_3122.pdf
CPP Financial Resources
 Dream Scholarship (November)
 President’s Council Scholarship (February)
 Hilda L. Solis Scholarship (February)
 SDEE Scholarship (September)
 Latino Faculty Staff Student Association (May)
 Universal Woman Scholarship, Lambda Theta Alpha
Latin Sorority, Inc. at CPP (April)
 Paula Sandoval Memorial Scholarship, Graduate
Studies (April)
Positive Impacts of Efforts
 Advising assistance for academic support and
personal development
 Creating awareness on campus community
 Moving towards a more informed and sensitive campus
 Support by campus clubs and organizations to support
undocumented students
 Informing students of available campus resources
 Campus scholarships available to undocumented
students
 Internship opportunities
Thank You!
Questions & Reference List
Discussion
Email Addresses
 Mery C. Hernandez – mchernandez@csupomona.edu
 Koji M. Uesugi – kmuesugi@csupomona.edu