Letters to the Editor

Bill places financial blocks on students

With student fee increases, cuts to higher education programs, and zero-funding of academic preparation programs, the University of California is becoming more inaccessible to students.

Unfortunately, some legislators are looking to make the problem worse, not better.

The University of California Students Association ““ the official voice of undergraduate, graduate and professional students in the UC system ““ has taken a stance against AB 286, a bill proposed by Assemblyman Paul Cook that would undo a previous bill, AB 540.

AB 540, introduced by Marco Firebaugh and passed by the California legislature in 2001, opens the doors of higher education to hundreds of students by allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition if they have attended a California high school for three years.

As a public institution, the UC has a responsibility to serve all of its residents, regardless of their immigration status.

AB 540 students, paying their still-too-high in-state fees, are bright students who have overcome tremendous challenges and opposition.

Assemblyman Cook wrongly assumes that AB 540 takes away from California’s economy by charging students in-state fees.

Students would be even less likely to attend UCs if forced to pay out-of-state tuition.

Tina Park,

USAC external vice president

Matias Ramos,

Project director, IDEAS

DREAM Act good for diverse education

In “Students rally support for DREAM” (News, March 1), Heather Gonzalez of the Bruin Republicans commented that the DREAM Act will not address the significant problems undocumented workers create in this country. But this argument is unfounded.

If the DREAM Act becomes law, it will undoubtedly shift the mind-set of non-traditional students.

For example, many students who may have thought higher education was not an option may reconsider it as a viable opportunity to progress socially and economically.

By stopping the alienation of non-traditional students, we will further increase their desire to become positive assets to American society.

I don’t know what “problems” Gonzalez was referring to, but obviously she overlooked this latter point.

No, the act does not call for a 600-mile fence, tougher laws or more border patrol agents.

No, it may not be a solution to the convoluted immigration debate.

Nevertheless, it provides the mechanism for deserving students to receive their scholarships and financial aid and ultimately to bring their dreams to reality. These students are deserving too.

Last Wednesday, many testimonies of struggle and triumph echoed against the walls of Kerckhoff Hall.

With the passage of the DREAM Act, these stories can be multiplied thousands of times over.

Joseph Chicas

Fourth-year, political science

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