College Students See Veto of California Dream Act as Contrary to American Values of Hard Work, Achievement, and Reward.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Vow to continue efforts for access and affordability of higher education in California, including Dream Act in 2008

By Oiyan Poon
President
University of California Student Association

Students throughout the University of California with our peers at the California State University and California Community Colleges are frustrated by the Governor’s lack of human compassion represented by his veto of the California DREAM Act (SB 1). Although this is a setback in the statewide efforts to ensure the California DREAM for all Californians, the UC Student Association will continue to fight for access and affordability of the UC system for all UC students.

In the past couple months UCSA students have worked with Senator Cedillo and Speaker Nunez on bringing SB 1 to the Governor’s desk. We have worked with community organizations throughout the state to register voters, organize rallies, fax blasts, letter writing campaigns, and call-in days to ask the Governor to affirm the California DREAM.

We did this work because we know that many undocumented students immigrated to California as very young children, and for reasons out of their own control they are currently undocumented residents of California. While the federal government continues its struggles to implement fair and just immigration reform, undocumented immigrant scholar youth - some of the best students in California and throughout the U.S. – are being unfairly denied the support they deserve.

In the Governor’s veto message he noted rising fees in the UC and Cal State systems saying ‘It would not be prudent to place additional strain on the General Fund’ for undocumented students. As the voice of students, UCSA can speak with authority on the issue of skyrocketing fees. We too believe that fees are another barrier to the access and affordability of higher education in California. But we know that the issues of fees and financial aid for undocumented students must be addressed dually. This mindset is confirmed among the other supporters of this bill including the California State and community college student associations, UC Regents and the California Faculty Association, all who are very familiar with the challenges of decreased state support for California public higher education.