news release

Transcription

news release

NEWS RELEASE
For more immediate release:
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
For more information:
Blair Horner, NYPIRG, 518 727-4506
Fran Clark, Professional Staff Congress at
CUNY, 914 364-8925
STUDENTS, FACULTY, EDUCATION AND IMMIGRANT ADVOCATES URGE
GOVERNOR TO MODERNIZE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
GROUPS URGE INCLUSION OF “NY DREAM ACT” IN GOVERNOR’S BUDGET AS
A GREAT FIRST STEP
500 STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS SEND LETTER TO GOVERNOR URGING
ACTION ON NY DREAM
(Albany, N.Y.) Governor Cuomo must include expansion of state Tuition Assistance Program
financial aid to undocumented students who graduate from New York high schools in his FY
2016 budget, said a coalition of students, faculty, education and immigrant organizations at a
news conference today in Albany. As part of the call, a coalition of over 500 college
organizations from around the state issued a letter to the governor urging expansion of TAP to
such students.
Allowing TAP for low-income undocumented students is part of a platform of changes to TAP
supported by the #Reform NY TAP Coalition that would realign the 40-year-old program with
the needs of today’s students and families to help all New York students afford college and stay
out of debt.
Under New York State law, undocumented students are eligible to pay in-state tuition rates at
SUNY and CUNY, yet are not eligible for financial aid under the state’s Tuition Assistance
Program (TAP). The law allowing in-state tuition was approved in 2002 by then-Governor
Pataki with bipartisan Senate support (40 Senators voted for the legislation, including Senator
Skelos).
Expansion of TAP eligibility to these students was approved last session by the state Assembly
and is supported by Governor Cuomo.
At a hearing held to discuss the state’s TAP assistance, the organizations called the 40- year-old
program out-of-step with the needs of today’s college students and presented numerous
recommendations for reform. The groups urged action on the expansion of financial assistance
to eligible undocumented students (also known as the “NY DREAM Act”) as an important first
step in modernizing the program.
-
30 –
Attached: The letters to Governor Andrew Cuomo, a fact sheet on the organizations’ TAP reform
agenda, a fact sheet on the “NY DREAM Act,” as well as statements from the participating
organizations.
STATEMENTS AT TAP REFORM NEWS CONFERENCE
DECEMBER 10, 2014
“In 1974, New Yorkers were using rotary phones. That’s the year TAP was established. And at the age of 40,
the program has a lot to brag about: it has helped make a college education possible for millions of students—
but it hasn’t changed enough with the times. Just as society has updated its phones since ’74, the state should
examine and update its Tuition Assistance Program.
TAP must be updated to cover more of the cost of tuition for those who qualify, and be flexible enough to meet
the needs of all types of New Yorkers, not just the “traditional”—not as traditional anymore— straight-fromhigh-school-to-college full-time student that it was initially designed to serve,” said Aileen Sheil, Chairperson
of the New York Public Interest Research Group’s Board of Directors and a Queens College student.
"Many undocumented students do not pursuit a higher education not because they don’t have the skills to do it
but because the lack of financial aid. What happens to DREAMers when the stigmatization of not having proper
documentation increases when they cannot apply for financial assistance? They shut down. I was there, I shut
down but I am tired. If The Tuition Assistance Program is open for myself and people like me, I am sure my
future will be brighter," said Denise Vivar, Lehman College student and member of CUNY DREAMers.
“Our job is to provide our students with the tools they need to pursue an educational career. Extending TAP to
undocumented students will help them have access to an affordable and quality education. The dreams of the
undocumented students in New York cannot be deferred any longer. Governor Cuomo must act now,” said
Nicole Marie Ponzo, Vice Chair of Graduate Student Affairs, University Student Senate.
"The harsh reality is that many students who are in need of in-state financial aid do not qualify,
including undocumented youth. Many bright minds give up on their hopes of attending college due to
skyrocketing cost. While economic realities have drastically altered since TAP (Tuition Assistance Program)
was first implemented forty years ago, TAP too must now evolve to address these realities. Albany must reform
TAP now to give all students a chance at a college education,” said Lucia Gomez, Executive Director,
LaFuente.
“Part of NYSFAAA’s primary purpose is to effectively serve the interests and needs of students. To do this we
need to help ensure that the TAP program is working equitably for all students. That is why we are advocating
for TAP Reform now so that the program can be updated to equitably serve NYS students,” said Kerrie
Cooper, Director of Financial Aid, SUNY Canton and New York State Financial Aid Administrators
Association President.
“The New York State School Counselor Association enthusiastically supports the modernization efforts in the
platform of the Reform TAP Coalition. We also encourage Governor Cuomo to include the NY Dream Act in
his 2015-16 Appropriate Budget and allow this deserving population the same opportunities granted all other
college students in NYS,” said Robert S. Rotunda, Ed.D. Executive Director, NYS School Counselor
Association.
"We here at the League of Latin American Citizens Queens Council 23047 strongly believe that students who
are studying and working hard deserve an equal opportunity to obtain a higher education. Education is a human
right, and we should all work collectively to make sure that this right is granted to all undocumented youth,"
said Jason Pagan, League of Latin American Citizens Queens Council 23047.
“As a principal of an International High School with an all immigrant student population, every year I witness
hundreds of students eager and ready to begin their college careers unable to do so. We must support these
students by funding the New York State DREAM Act in the budget and reforming TAP to meet the needs of
today's students. By graduating high school, Dreamers have already demonstrated qualities that allow them to
persevere despite the odds. They are strivers who are determined to get ahead and as such embody our American
values. Investing in them is a win for them and a win for our state,” said Nedda de Castro, Principal,
International High School at Prospect Heights.
“There is no longer any doubt that access to higher education for currently and formerly incarcerated people
leads to dramatic reductions in recidivism, increased public safety, and improved lives for justice impacted
individuals and their families and communities. By repealing the existing ban on TAP eligibility for currently
incarcerated individuals New York will remove an unnecessary hurdle that prevents those who qualify from
attaining an opportunity to improve their lives. We urge the legislature to support the Governor’s commitment
to educational access for incarcerated people and act to repeal the ban on TAP now,” said Mel Gagarin, The
Education from the Inside Out Coalition.
"During the past decade a number of states and higher education institutions through the country have taken
leadership in supporting and providing resources for undocumented students, to achieve their educational
dreams. New York State should follow the efforts from other states and be one of the lead pioneers in securing
educational funding regardless of the immigration status,” said Mateo Tabares, Youth Organizer, Make the
Road NY.
"At a time when having a postsecondary credential is more critical than ever for getting a good job or
advancing in your career, too few working adults are getting the chance to go to school to gain more skills. And
a big part of the problem is that the eligibility restrictions of Part-Time TAP (PTAP) effectively bar tens of
thousands of New Yorkers who can only afford to enroll in college on a part-time basis from benefitting from
the program," said Christian González-Rivera, Center for an Urban Future
"Beyond the sound economic arguments, passing the DREAM Act is a moral issue. It’s about building a society
that welcomes the stranger, and offers hope and opportunity, fairly and to all,” said Rev. Gusti Newquist, First
United Presbyterian Church, Troy, NY
“City University faculty and staff know first-hand that TAP needs an update. TAP is failing part-time students,
adult learners and undocumented students, to name just a few of the types of students who are underserved or
ignored altogether by the program. Albany has the power to fix the problems with TAP, and the governor has
the power to get started on the job this session by funding the NYS Dream Act in his Executive Budget,” said
Steve London, first vice president of the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY.
“The state must invest heavily in student financial aid and opportunity programs and reform the Tuition
Assistance Program to build a more accessible, affordable public higher education system. UUP recognizes that
a college education is a necessity in today’s world, which is why we’ve launched a multifaceted action plan to
create a new SUNY student loan refinancing program and calls on the state to pay its fair share of SUNY’s
operational costs. These positive changes coupled with TAP reform, will ensure a strong public higher
education system," said Frederick E. Kowal, Ph.D., President, United University Professions.
“NYSUT strongly supports updating the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) which is now 40 years old. While
this wonderful program has afforded so many students the ability to obtain a higher education, it needs to be
updated and modernized to reflect a much different student population. Today, too many students are excluded
from or underserved by the current program.
We fully support all of the #Reform TAP Coalition’s proposals. Moreover, we strongly believe that the first
modification of TAP should be to make undocumented students eligible for this program. We urge the
Governor and the Legislature to enact the NY Dream Act during the 2015 legislative session,” said Andrew
Pallotta, NYSUT Executive Vice President.
COALITION TO REFORM THE NY TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
December 9, 2014
The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Executive Chamber
Albany, NY 12224
Dear Governor Andrew M. Cuomo:
We write to request a meeting in December to discuss college access, student debt and the Tuition Assistance
Program (TAP), which is 40 years old and hasn’t changed with the times.
TAP should be realigned with the needs of today’s students and families. Our coalition has a platform of reforms,
which we urge you to support (see attached). You should begin by including funds and rule changes to implement the
NYS DREAM Act in the next State budget. (SUNY and CUNY have also recommended critical updates to TAP.)
A generation ago, when TAP was as old as a college sophomore, SUNY and CUNY were affordable for most families
earning the state’s median income and it was possible for a student from a middle-income family to attain a college
education (public or private) without a crushing amount of student loan debt. Back then, TAP worked as intended: it
increased college access for low-income high school graduates. But times have changed.
TAP is middle-aged now. Tuition at SUNY and CUNY has more than quadrupled since 1990, middle-income families are
struggling to afford college (public or private), and student-loan debt is a full-blown economic and social crisis; it
exceeds credit-card and auto-loan debt, and is limiting opportunities for young New Yorkers and stunting the
economy. Indebted college graduates are less entrepreneurial and are less likely to take career risks than graduates
without debt; they put off major purchases, like a car or a home, and big life transitions, like moving away from home,
getting married or starting a family.
New York’s student body has changed, too. College is pre-requisite for most careers, so enrollments are at record
highs and students are more diverse than ever. Middle-income students’ families are in a much more precarious
financial situation than they were a generation ago. The notion of the teenaged, straight-from-high-school-to-college
student that TAP was set up to serve is almost passé. About 40% of all college students are older than 25. More than a
third attend classes part time. Many juggle work and family obligations while in college.
Under your administration, TAP has become part of the plan for Moving the New NY Forward. The maximum TAP
award increased this year for the first time in 14 years, and undocumented students are heartened by your vocal
support for the NYS DREAM Act. Enabling them to receive TAP (if they graduate from a New York State high school or
GED program and meet and financial-need requirements) by putting it in the State budget is an important step
toward modernizing TAP.
TAP has been a source of hope and opportunity for New York students, but those who fall through cracks in the
program and the 60% of New York students burdened with college debt need help. We look forward to working with
you on this important issue.
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Sincerely and on behalf of the coalition,
NYPIRG
Center for an Urban Future
CUNY DREAMers Coalition
Education from the Inside Out Coalition
Hispanic Federation
c/o NYPIRG, 107 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12210 * (518) 436-0876 phone; (518) 432-6178 fax
Page 1
COALITION TO REFORM THE NY TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
Continued:
Labor-Religion Coalition of NYS
LaFuente
Latin American Citizen Queens Council 23047
Make the Road NY
New York Association for Student Financial Aid Administrators
New York State School Counselor Association
NYSUT
Professional Staff Congress
United University Professions
University Student Senate - CUNY
Attachments
cc:
Larry Schwartz, Secretary for the Governor
Elana Sigall, Deputy Secretary for Education
Jay Quaintance, Assistant Secretary for Education
c/o NYPIRG, 107 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12210 * (518) 436-0876 phone; (518) 432-6178 fax
Page 2
#MakeNYCollegeAffordable – #ReformNYTAP
It’s time to strengthen New York’s commitment to college access through the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). In the last 40
years TAP has helped four million New Yorkers afford college. But a lot has changed since the program’s founding in 1974, and
TAP is behind the times. Updating it would have significant social and economic benefits, like shared prosperity, and a more
fulfilled, more engaged citizenry less burdened by student loan debt.
TAP grants haven’t kept pace with rising tuition, and student loan debt is reaching a crisis level: 2.7 million New Yorkers now
hold outstanding student loans, and 60% of New York college graduates last year borrowed an average of $25,537 to pay for
college.
TAP should be realigned with the needs of the students and families of today. It should cover more of the cost of tuition for
those who qualify, and be flexible enough to meet the needs of all types of New Yorkers, not just the “traditional” straightfrom-high-school-to-college full-time student that it was initially designed to serve. We also need to repair the damage done
when some students saw their TAP grants cut or eliminated when Albany passed austerity budgets. To these ends, our
coalition supports the following updates to TAP:
Give excluded students access to TAP.
1) Extend TAP to undocumented youth who arrive in the US before age 16 and graduate from a New York high school or pass
a New York accredited high school equivalency program.
2) Restore eligibility for TAP to students in default on federal student loans.
3) Restore TAP grants to graduate students which were eliminated in 2010.
4) Allow currently incarcerated students to once again qualify for TAP grants so that they can earn a college degree.
Realign TAP to the current needs of students and families.
5) Increase the TAP maximum award to $6,500 for all students.
6) Get rid of outdated award schedules and the rule requiring that students’ grants be based on the year they enter college.
7) Raise the income thresholds on TAP award schedules for independent single students and married students without
dependent children, and provide that all schedules incorporate the same maximum grant level of $6,500. For example,
the TAP award schedule for independent single students without children1 is based on a 20 year-old schedule that makes
them ineligible if they earn more than $10,000 in net taxable income and currently limits the maximum grant they could
receive to just $3,025. This rule virtually prevents all poor, single working adult students from receiving any financial aid
from TAP.
8) End the $100 per-year cut to students’ TAP grants in their last two years of school.
9) Eliminate the requirement that students attend college full-time for a year before becoming eligible for Part-Time TAP.
10) Add two semesters of TAP eligibility for students who are identified by the State as educationally disadvantaged, but are
not enrolled in New York’s limited Educational Opportunity Programs (i.e. SEEK, College Discovery, and HEOP), which
extends TAP for two additional semesters.
11) Increase the number of semesters of TAP eligibility for all students recognizing that the majority of students take longer
than four years to complete a baccalaureate degree. The federal Pell Grant program recognizes this need and provides
the equivalent of two additional years.
12) Increase TAP grants for students who come from families with multiple family members attending college at the same
time.
Simplify the rules and regulations, and improve TAP administration.
13) Revise the TAP definition of independence to match the federal Pell Grant criteria.
14) Let financial aid administrators make changes to students’ grants as is allowed under federal aid programs including Pell
Grants. The current program does not allow for necessary adjustments when students are confronted with serious life
changes such as a major loss of income or the death of a parent.
Continue to make TAP function better.
15) Create a system that periodically reviews the effectiveness of TAP to ensure that the program remains up to date.
16) Require further training for TAP certifying professionals.
1
Foster children, orphans and wards of the state are now able to receive larger TAP awards on the dependent student schedule.
#MakeNYCollegeAffordable – #ReformNYTAP
________________________________________________________________________
ENDORSED
32BJ SEIU
Advocates for Children of New York
Cabrini Immigrant Services
Campaign for Americas Future
Citizen Action of New York (CANY)
College Access Consortium of New York (CACNY)
CUNY Coalition for Student with Disabilities (CCSD)
Demos
The Education from the Inside Out Coalition (EIO)
Goddard Riverside Community Center
“I Have A DREAM” Foundation
Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State
Lets Get Ready
Long Island Jobs with Justice
Make the Road New York (MRNY)
Minkwon Community Center
New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC)
New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG)
New York State Association for College Admission Counseling (NYSACAC)
New York State Disability Services Council (NYS DSC)
New York State AFL CIO
New York State Financial Aid Administrators Association (NYSFAAA)
New York State Higher Education Political Action Committee (NYSHEPAC)
New York State Interfaith Network for Immigration Reform
New York State School Counselor Association (NYSSCA)
New York State United Teachers (NYSUT)
New York State Youth Leadership Council (NYSYLC)
New York Students Rising (NYSR)
Professional Staff Congress/ CUNY (PSC)
The Door
University Student Senate / CUNY (USS)
United University Professions / SUNY (UUP)
The Urban Assembly
________________________________________________________________________
Contact: Farouk Abdallah, NYPIRG, [email protected] or 212-349-6460
PASS THE NEW YORK STATE “DREAM ACT”
Dear Governor Cuomo:
Congratulations on being re-elected. We were heartened by your support for the New
York State Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act which
would, for the first time, allow undocumented immigrant students to be eligible for state
financial aid. Currently, these students are eligible for in-state public college tuition, but
not financial aid.
We write to urge you to include the DREAM Act in your proposed executive budget for
the 2015-2016 fiscal year.
New York has long recognized the importance of supporting immigrant students,
including funding programs to support English Language Learners and college
readiness programs. In 2001, Governor Pataki’s proposal to grant undocumented
students access to in-state tuition rates was enacted with bipartisan support.
Approximately 8,300 public college students are undocumented, pay in-state tuition,
but are denied eligibility for state financial aid programs.
Expanding the reach of TAP to include eligible undocumented students would increase
the program’s expenditure by roughly 2%. It has been estimated that the overall cost of
the NY DREAM Act would be less than $20 million.
Our organizations agree with you that it is simply unfair to these students, as well as
undermining the future success of the state, to deny them eligibility for financial aid.
You can take a major step forward in ending this unfairness by including the DREAM
Act in your proposed executive budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Thank you again for your support, we look forward to supporting your Administration’s
advocacy on behalf of the DREAM Act. If you would like to communicate with our
coalition, please contact Farouk Abdallah of NYPIRG at [email protected].
Sincerely,
[list of organizations attached]
School
Club/Organization:
SUNY Cortland
20 CSTV
Hostos Communty College
5Ps
College of Staten Island
A Reason To Write
Brooklyn College
Academic Club Association
Baruch College
Accounting Society
Borough of Manhattan Community College
Acentos Latinos
New York City College of Technology
Acts of Faith
Medgar Evers College
ADAFI
Advertising Club
Baruch College
African Student Association of Baruch
Hunter College
African Student Union
Syracuse University & SUNY ESF
African Student Union
African Students Association
Queens College
African Studies
Baruch College
ALPFA
Bronx Community College
Alpha Beta Gamma
Queens College
Alpha Club
Buffalo State College
Alpha Epsilon Iota
Alpha Epsilon Phi
SUNY New Paltz
Alpha Kappa Phi, Agonian Sorority Inc.
SUNY New Paltz
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc
Brooklyn College
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc, Delta Chi Chapter
Hunter College
Alpha Phi Omega
Hunter College
Alpha Sigma Sorority, Inc.
SUNY Cortland
Alphi Phi Omega
American Chemical Society
City College
American Institute of Architecture Students
SUNY New Paltz
American Marketing Association
City College
American Medical Women's Association
Brooklyn College
Anime & Manga Club
Anime Club
Anime Club
Pratt Institute
Anime Club
Anthropology Honor Society
Queensborough Community College
Hunter College
Baruch College
SUNY New Paltz
Nassau Community College
SUNY Cortland
Architecture Club
Armed Forces Club
Art Club
Arts and Crafts Club
ASAP Club
ASEDOM
Asian & Pacific Islander Student Alliance
Asian American Club
ASL (American Sign Language Club)
Association for Black Social Workers
Association for Computing Machinery
Hunter College
Queens College
Brooklyn College
Baruch College
Hunter College
York College
City College
Baruch College
Hunter College
SUNY Cortland
City College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
SUNY New Paltz
SUNY New Paltz
City College
Baruch College
SUNY Purchase
Brooklyn College
SUNY Cortland
SUNY Cortland
Binghamton University
SUNY New Paltz
City College
Queens College
City College
SUNY Purchase
Brooklyn College
Queens College
Association for Computing Machinery at Hunter College
Association of Latino Professionals in Finance & Accounting
Astronomy Club
Astronomy Club
Audio Engineer Society
Badminton Club
Bangladesh Students Association
Bangladeshi Club
Bangladeshi Student Association
Baskerville Chemical Society
Beta Phi Sigma Sorority
Beyond the Limits
Biochemistry Research Society
Biological Science Club
Biology Club
Biology Club
Biology Club
Bishoy Botros
Black & Latino Male Initiative
Black Active Minds
Black and Hispanic Lost History Club
Black Student Union
Black Student Union
Black Week
BMES
Bollywood Jalwa
Breakers
Broken Spokes Bike Shop
Brooklyn Jhoom
Brotherhood and Sisterhood
Brothers and Sisters In Christ (BASIC)
Buddhist Meditation Club
Campus Girl Scouts
Career Club
Caribbean Club
Caribbean Student Association
Caribbean Student Association
Caribbean Student Organization
Caribbean Student Organization
Caribbean Students Association
Caribbean Students Association
Caribbean Students Organization
Caribbean Village
Central and South American Students
Cheer
Cheese Club
Chemistry College
Chemistry Forensics Club
Chess Club
Chi Alpha Christian Club
Chi Alpha Christian Club
Chi Iota Omega
Chinese Christian Fellowship
Chinese Christian Fellowship
Chinese Student Association
Hunter College
City College
Brooklyn College
Hunter College
Brooklyn College
City College
Pratt Institute
Queens College
SUNY Cortland
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Baruch College
SUNY New Paltz
SUNY New Paltz
Queens College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Hunter College
Queens College
Hunter College
Queens College
Baruch College
SUNY Cortland
Queens College
Baruch College
Christians on Campus
Circle K International
City College Partnership
CLAS Student Government
Club India
College Affairs : Video Journalism
College Democrats
College Discovery Club
Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP)
Commonwealth
Communication Studies Club
Community Engagement Board
Community Health Club
Comparative Literature Department
Computer Graphics Club
Computer Science Club
Computer Technology Club
Creative Music
Creative Writing Club
Criminal Justice Club
Criminal Justice Department
CSTEP
Culture of Hip Hop
CUNY Coalition of Students With Disabilities
D.R.E.A.M. Team
Dance Club
Dance Ensemble
Debate Team
Delta Sigma Pi
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Democracy Matters
Democracy Matters
Department of Hispanic Languages and Literatures
Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work
Desi Club
Digital Collective Club
Divest SU
Dominican Club
Dominican Club
Dominican Student Movement (MEDO)
Drama Club
DREAM Team
Dream Team
Dream Team
Dream Team
Dreamer's Club
Economics Club
Economics Department
Ecuadorian Club
Education Club
Educational Opportunity Program
Elementary & Early Childhood Education
Enactus
Encounters Magazine
Engineering Club
Brooklyn College
Pratt Institute
Baruch College
SUNY New Paltz
Hunter College
Brooklyn College
Baruch College
Hunter College
Baruch College
SUNY Cortland
City College
Hunter College
Queens College
Baruch College
SUNY Cortland
City College
Hunter College
Baruch College
SUNY Cortland
Hunter College
Brooklyn College
Baruch College
Queens College
SUNY New Paltz
City College
SUNY Cortland
Brooklyn College
City College
Hunter College
SUNY Purchase
SUNY Purchase
Queens College
SUNY New Paltz
Queens College
Hunter College
Engineers for a Sustainable Society
English Club
Entertainment Committee
Envirolutions
Environmental Cooperation Organization
Environmental Studies Student Organization
Environmental Task Force
Epsilon Sigma Phi
Equal Opportunity Program
ESF Insomniacs
E-Sport Association
E-Sports Association
Eugenio Mana de Hostos Puerto Rican Club
Exchange Support
Fashion Students Organization
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Fencing Club
Fighting Games Association
Filipino Club (QC Flight)
Filipinos Uniting Students in Other Nations
Film and Music
Fit Club
Foreign Language Society
Forensic Science
Freedom by Design
French Club (La Table Française de Buffalo State College )
French Film Society
French Speaking World Club
Fusion
Gaming Club
Garden Club
Gardening Club
Gay Men's Alliance
Girl Geek Dinners
GLASS
Global Brigades
Global Medical Brigade
Global Medical Brigade
Gospel Choir
Gospel Choir
Gospel Choir
Graduate Student Association
Graduate Student Council
Graduate Student Government
Green Fee Council
Green Team
Guitar Club
Guns Down
Guyanese Student Association
Habitat For Humanity
Hairtology
Haitian Club
Haitian Student Association
Haitian Students Association
Haitian Students Organization
Queens College
Brooklyn College
Hunter College
SUNY Cortland
Baruch College
Hunter College
Brooklyn College
SUNY Cortland
Queens College
Baruch College
SUNY Cortland
SUNY Cortland
Queens College
SUNY Cortland
Hunter College
Queens College
Baruch College
Baruch College
City College
Hunter College
SUNY New Paltz
Queens College
Baruch College
Baruch College
Queens College
SUNY Cortland
SUNY New Paltz
Queens College
SUNY Cortland
Queens College
SUNY New Paltz
City College
SUNY Cortland
SUNY New Paltz
Brooklyn College
Hunter College
Baruch College
City College
City College
Hakuna Matata Club
HASA
Health Awareness Club
Hillel
Hillel
Hindu Students Association
Hindu Students Association
Hispanic Society
History Club
History Department
Impact
Impact Club
Inclusive Recreation Club
Inclusive Special Education Club
Indian Club
International Awareness Club
International Club
International Club
International Education Department
International Student Association
International Students Club
International Students Community Club
International Students Organization
Inter-Organizational Council
Intervarsity Christian Fellowship
Intramurals Club
ITones
Japan Club
Japanese Anime Asylum
Japanese Culture Club
Jewelry Making Club
Journalism Program
JUMP Nation
Kappa Alpha Psi
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
Knight News
La Familia Latina
La Tertulia
La Unidad Latina Lambda Upsilon Lambda
LAESA-SHPE
Lambda Sigma Upsilon Fraternity, Inc.
Lambda Signma Upsilon Latino Fraternity
Lambda Tau Omega Sorority, Inc. Vydurance Omicron Chapter
Lamda Alpha
Latin American Student Union
Latin Women Group
Law and Social Justice Club
Lesbians Rising
Lexicon
LGBT for Success Club
LGBT Open Alliance
LGBTQ Alliance
SUNY Purchase
SUNY New Paltz
Hunter College
SUNY New Paltz
SUNY New Paltz
Hunter College
Baruch College
Hunter College
Queens College
York College
SUNY New Paltz
SUNY New Paltz
City College
Brooklyn College
Hunter College
Baruch College
SUNY Purchase
Hunter College
City College
SUNY New Paltz
LGBTQU
Male Call
MALES Club
Marketing Association
Math Club
Math Society
Media Board
Men of Color Initiative
Men's Club Baseball
Men's Club Lacrosse
Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students
Mock Trial
Mock Trial Association
Motor Club
Mu Sigma Epsilon Sorority, Inc.
Muscle and Fitness Club
Music Club
Music Club
Music Club
Music Society
Muslim Club
Muslim Student Association
Muslim Students Association
Muslim Students Association
National Pan Hellenic Council
National Society of Black Engineers
National Society of Leadership and Success
National Society of Minorities in Hospitality
National Society of Minorities in Hospitality
New Hope and Success
New Paltz Student Association/Student Senate
New Tech Times
New York Students Rising
New York Water Environment Association
Newman Catholic Club
Newman Club
NIA Mentoring Program
Nu Phi Delta
Nursing Club
Nursing Club
NYC Hong Kong Club
OAPIA (Organization of African Peoples in America)
Olivetree Review
Ombudsperson's Office
Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Inc
Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
Omega Phi Chi Multicultural Sorority, Inc
Omega Psi Phi
Operation 3-Legged Dolphin
Organization for Student Veterans
Hunter College
Brooklyn College
Queens College
Queens College
Baruch College
Hunter College
SUNY New Paltz
Pratt Institute
Hunter College
Brooklyn College
Hunter College
Baruch College
Queens College
Baruch College
City College
Hunter College
SUNY Purchase
Hunter College
City College
City College
Hunter College
SUNY New Paltz
City College
Organizing Students and Justice
Our Words Online Journal
Outing Club (SUOC)
Outreach Club
Pan-African Students Organization (PASO)
Parents Club
Paths to Animal Liberation
Peace Action of New York State
Peer Health Exchange
Persian Club
Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Phi Theta Kappa
Photo Club
Physics Club
Pilipinos of Hunter
Plant Propagation Club
Poder Latinos Unidos
Powerlifting Club
Pratt Music
Pre-Health Organization
Pre-Law Club
Pre-Law Society
Pre-Law Society
Pride Club
Primitive Pursuits
Prism: The Gender & Sexuality Alliance
Programming Club
PRSSA
Psych Club
Psych News
Psychology Club
Psychology Club
Psychology Club
Psychology Club
Public Administration (MECSPA)
Public Administration Club
Puerto Rican Club
PUSH Ideas Into Action
Reggae Arts & Culture Club
Reserve Officer Training Corps Club
Resident Hall Association
Resurgence in Christ Ministry
Revue
Rhythm Hitters
Robotics Club
Roosevelt Institute
Safe Space
Salsa on 2
Salsa Sazon Club
Scholarship Mentorship Program Advisory Board
Scholarship Society Club
Science Activities Club
Science Association
Science Club
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Brooklyn College
Queens College
SUNY New Paltz
SUNY New Paltz
Baruch College
SUNY New Paltz
Brooklyn College
SUNY Cortland
Queens College
SUNY New Paltz
SUNY Purchase
SUNY New Paltz
SUNY Purchase
Baruch College
SciFi & Fantasy Club
Sci-fi and Fantasy club
SciFi Anime
Sculpture Club
Secular Student Alliance
SEEK Association
Shades Step Team
She's The First* Syracuse
Sigma Alpha Delta Honor Society
Sigma Gamma Rho, Sorority, Inc.
Sigma Lambda Beta Intl. Fraternity, Inc.
Sigma Lambda Upsilon
Sigma Lambda Upsilon Sorority, Inc.
Sikh Club
Ski & Snowboard Club
SOCA (Students of Caribbean Ancestry)
Soccer Club
Social Latin
Social Pioneering Monthly
Sociology Club
Solutions Across Borders
Sophist Scholars
SUNY Cortland
Spanish Club
Speech, Drama, Debate
Sports Management
City College
SSSP Fusion Club
STEM Research Club
Brooklyn College
Strive for College
City College
Strive for College
Brooklyn College
Stuck in the Library
SUNY Cortland
Student Activities Board
SUNY Cortland
Student Alumni Association
Queens College
Student Association
Student Association
City College
Student Association for International Studies
Student Employment Leadership Program
Student Engagement and Success
Student Government Association
LaGuardia Community College
SUNY Cortland
York College
SUNY Purchase
Student Government Association Senate
Student Health Club
Baruch College
Student Organization for Caribbean Appreciation
Student Organization For Disability Awareness
Brooklyn College
Student Organization For Every Disability United For Progress (S.O.F.E.D.U.P.)
Student Social Work Organization
Brooklyn College
Student Union for Bilingual Education
Student Veteran Association
SUNY New Paltz
Students Against Mass Incarceration
City College
Students for Educational Rights
Hunter College
Students for Justice In Palestine
SUNY New Paltz
Students for Sustainable Agriculture
Students of Sustainability
Brooklyn College
Students Partnering and Reaching Kids (S.P.A.R.K.)
Brooklyn College
Study Abroad Scholarship Association (SASA)
Supplemental Instructors Club
Brooklyn College
Supreme Steppers
Hunter College
Sustainability Project
Baruch College
Taiwanese Student Association
Talk Out Loud
City College
Tau Kappa Epsilon
Teacher Education Club
Teachers Society
Tha Ink Club
The Baobob Society
City College
The Campus Magazine
Baruch College
The Collegiate Association of Women in Business
Brooklyn College
The Comedy Club
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Hunter College
The Italian Club
Brooklyn College
The Kingsman
The Knothole
The National Society of Black Engineers
Baruch College
The National Society of Leadership and Success
Hunter College
The Pakistani Club
Brooklyn College
The Puerto Rican Alliance
Baruch College
The Ticker
Theater Club
Total Health
SUNY New Paltz
Transfer Student Union
Travel and Tourism Club
Triathlon Club
Trinbago Club
Una Alma
Hunter College
Undergraduate Anthropology Club
Undergraduate Biology Association
Undergraduate Student Association
Baruch College
Undergraduate Student Government
City College
City College
Hunter College
Brooklyn College
Undergraduate Theater Organization
Undergraduates for a Better Education (UBE)
Baruch College
United Chinese Language Association
Baruch College
United Sikh Association
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Brooklyn College
United Students League
SUNY Cortland
Urban Education Club
SUNY New Paltz
Urban Lyrics
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Veteran Students Organization
Veterans Club
Veterans Club
Video Game Club
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Vietnamese Student Association
Baruch College
WBMB Radio
City College
WCCR
Hunter College
Welfare Rights Initiative
Baruch College
West Indian Culture Club
Hunter College
WHSC Radio
SUNY Cortland
Women of Color
SUNY New Paltz
Women's Rugby
SUNY New Paltz
Women's Soccer
SUNY Purchase
WPSR Purchase College Radio
Writers' Guild
SUNY Cortland
WSUC (Cortand State Radio Club)
Hunter College
Young Democratic Socialist of Hunter
City College
Youth Evangelical Fellowship
New York State DREAM Coalition
New York DREAM Act (A.2597 / S.2378) Information Sheet
What is the New York DREAM Act?
The New York DREAM Act would allow undocumented students who meet in-state tuition requirements to
access state financial aid and scholarships for higher education. It would also open 529 tuition savings accounts
to all New York youth, and establish a DREAM Fund Commission to raise private funds for a college scholarship
program for children of immigrants.
Why is it important?
An estimated 146,000 youth in New York who have been educated in New York public schools are currently
ineligible to receive financial aid under federal and state law.1 Of the more than 4,500 undocumented students
who graduate from New York high schools every year, only 5-10% pursues a college degree due to tremendous
financial obstacles.2 The City University of New York (CUNY) reports that 6,640 undocumented undergraduate
students were enrolled during the Fall 2013 semester ( 4 percent of enrollment) slightly more than last year.
Although many have attended New York schools from kindergarten through 12th grades, they are left in limbo
after graduating high school, ineligible to receive federal tuition assistance, scholarships, grants or loans. New
York, as a state with one of the largest immigrant populations in the U.S, must do what Washington D.C. has
failed to do and equip these students with the tools that will help them succeed in their higher education
pursuits. A decade ago, New York showed leadership by allowing all students who graduate from a high school
in New York to pay in-state tuition rates at CUNY and SUNY. The New York DREAM Act would be the next step,
extending state financial aid to all students who meet the requirements for the Tuition Assistance Program
(TAP).
California, Texas, and New Mexico have passed state-level DREAM Acts allowing undocumented
students to access state funded financial aid, and New York should join them in passing legislation
that is good for our community, good for our youth, and good for our economy.
Those who benefit from the bill must meet the following requirements:
•
•
•
•
Have attended a NY high school for at least 2 years and graduated, or obtained a NY GED
Enroll in a college or university in the state of New York within 5 years of graduating
Affirm they will apply for legal immigration status as soon as they are able to do so.
Meet Higher Education Services Corporation’s requirements for TAP
 Be enrolled as a full-time student taking 12 or more credits per semester
 Declare a major by the 2nd year of a 2-year program or 3rd year of a 4-year program
 Maintain a C average
 Be charged at least $200 tuition per year
 Meet income eligibility requirements
1
Batalova, Jeanne and Margie McHugh. 2010. “DREAM vs. Reality: An Analysis of Potential DREAM Act Beneficiaries.” Washington, DC. Migration Policy
Institute. http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/DREAM-Insight-July2010.pdf
2
Immigration Policy Center. 2011. “The DREAM Act: Creating Opportunities for Immigrant Students and Supporting the U.S. Economy,”
http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/dream-act.The estimate of 4,500 undocumented high school graduates per year is created by taking the
share of all undocumented youth estimated to live in NYS State (7%) times the number of undocumented youth estimated to graduate from a US high
school every year (65,000).
Natalia Aristizabal: [email protected] / Razeen Zaman: [email protected]
New York State DREAM Coalition
Myths and Facts about the New York DREAM Act (A.2597 / S.2378)
Myth 1: The Bill would provide an incentive for people to come here illegally.
Fact: The New York DREAM Act offers no reason for people to enter the country illegally. It does not
legalize students -- only federal reform can do that. The NY DREAM Act also does not provide benefits for
immigrants who are not already here. It requires students to graduate from a New York high school or obtain a
GED in New York to qualify for state financial aid.
Myth 2: It will be a fiscal burden and increase the strain on state educational systems.
Fact: The New York DREAM Act would make money for taxpayers. State and local taxpayers are
already investing in the education of undocumented students in elementary and secondary school. Continuing
to invest in NY youth, so that they can attend college, will bring a strong return on investment by allowing
youth to develop their careers. The annual cost of the NY DREAM Act is less than 2 percent of the current TAP
budget. Workers in New York with a college education pay $3,900 more in state and local taxes every year
compared to workers with a high-school diploma.3 OSC estimated that the initial cost of providing TAP awards
to these students would likely be offset by the additional taxes paid over the course of their working lifetimes
as a result of their ability to obtain higher-paying jobs.
Myth 3: This bill is funded by US citizens’ tax payments and benefits only undocumented youth
Fact: Undocumented immigrants pay payroll taxes, income taxes, and property taxes (directly, or
through their landlords), just like U.S. citizens. The Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy estimates that
undocumented immigrants paid $662.4 million in taxes to NY State in 2010.4
Myth 4: Documented New Yorkers will lose spots in college.
Fact: The small number of students who will be impacted by the New York DREAM Act is not significant
enough to affect the opportunities of others. The colleges and universities in the 12 states that allow
undocumented students to pay in-state tuition have not experienced a large influx of undocumented youth
that have taken seats away from U.S. citizen students. Further, TAP is an entitlement program, which means
that all youth who qualify and apply are able to obtain financial aid. Extending this program to undocumented
students does not affect other students’ access to TAP or to higher education.
Myth 5: The NY DREAM Act is a form of amnesty.
Fact: The New York DREAM Act does not provide amnesty or change immigration law. The focus of the
bill is to expand access to higher education for undocumented students who live in New York and have
graduated from a New York high school. These students are here to stay and we should provide them with the
tools to succeed fully and contribute to the State's economy.
Myth 6: The federal government will fix our immigration problems. We do not need to act.
Fact: Current proposals for Federal Immigration Reform would not grant financial aid to
undocumented students. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has already granted work
authorization to many undocumented youth in New York State. Assisting undocumented students to obtain a
college education allows the State to immediately capitalize on professional skills and higher tax payments as
soon as immigrant youth obtain work authorization through DACA or any future federal legalization.
3
Fiscal Policy Institute. 2013. “The New York State DREAM Legislation: A Strong Return on Investment.” http://fiscalpolicy.org/wpcontent/uploads/2013/02/NYS-DREAM-legislation-ROI.pdf
4
Immigration Policy Center. 2011. “Unauthorized Immigrants Pay Taxes, Too: Estimates of the State and Local Taxes Paid by Unauthorized Immigrant
Households,” http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/docs/Tax_Contributions_by_Unauthorized_Immigrants_041811.pdf.
Natalia Aristizabal: [email protected] / Razeen Zaman: [email protected]

news release

Transcription

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