An effort to establish centers that would provide educational support services on all high school, university and community college campuses for undocumented students, or DREAMers, is underway in the California Senate.
Ricardo Lara, state senator for district 33, introduced SB 247 on Feb. 18, and it is expected to be be voted on or after March 21. The bill requires a majority vote in order to succeed.
If approved, SB 247 will authorize the governing board of each school district, county office of education, the community college districts and trustees of the California State Universities to establish on-campus “Dream Centers” to provide undocumented pupils and students with information about educational support services.
Current law only requires the student aid commission to establish procedures and forms such as the Dream Act Application which enables undocumented students who are exempt from paying nonresident tuition to apply for state financial aid programs as permitted by federal law, according to SB 247.
According to information on the Fresno City College website, there are approximately 750 registered undocumented students on campus.
Despite the estimated 750 undocumented students on campus, only about 10 of those students are active participants in the Students Without Borders Club, the only “support group” on campus.
“We may have the club right now, but not many students know about it,” said Angel Sanchez, president of the club. “We have to create something big where students feel like they can be trusted.”
Sanchez said that SB 247, while it aims to establish a resource center, would also help encourage more undocumented students to play a role.
He said such a center would create wider involvement from those students on campus — paving the way for success.
Students across the state are organizing themselves in readiness for this bill and are circulating information to those who are likely to be most impacted by it.
“FCC has made great strides towards assisting its Dreamers, and a Dream Resource Center, as proposed through SB 247, could be a culmination of those efforts,” said Perry Angle, director of the TRIO program.
Angle believes that undocumented students are looking to be heard but are afraid to speak out in fear of a negative reaction from the public.
He says it needs to be known that Fresno City is working towards making this campus a dream student friendly zone.
Should a Dream Center be established, Angle hopes it is seen and used as a place students could go to acquire the information and support they are looking for, but, most of all, feel like they belong.
