Thread: CO: Cole free-college deal pared

Cole free-college deal pared
By Christopher N. Osher
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 05/15/2008 12:24:49 AM MDT


With the first group of former Cole Middle School students set to graduate from high school in upcoming weeks, a lingering question over whether illegal immigrants among them qualify for the same free-college pledge their classmates are getting has been answered:

They don't.

But even the undocumented students will see some benefit from Mayor John Hickenlooper's 2004 promise of free college for every Cole student who graduated from high school. They will all be eligible for the same in-state tuition payments their legal Colorado resident classmates are getting.

But the illegal immigrants will be responsible for their own out-of-state fees if they attend a Colorado college or university.

Colorado's state colleges and universities charge out-of-state tuition to illegal immigrants even if they spent most of their lives in Colorado.

The mayor's office said that Hickenlooper decided early on that there's only so much money that can be raised and that he would peg the amount for undocumented students to the same amount in-state students would receive.

"The mayor did not feel he could provide more for undocumented students than was provided documented students," said Katherine Archuleta, a senior aide to Hickenlooper.

That decision is having an impact on some students who clearly recall the day the mayor came to their school and promised they would attend college regardless of their finances.

"Nobody made him come up to us and promise that to us," said one 19-year-old, who declined to give her name for fear of deportation. "And we've been working for this, to have this scholarship for the past five years, having our hopes up."

An 18-year-old said the tuition amount would cover only a third of her college costs.

"I'm going to have to work two jobs all summer and get the money from wherever I can," she said. "And that's not what the mayor promised."

The gap between what an in-state and an out-of-state student pays is huge. Tuition for a freshman taking 12 credit hours at CU-Boulder in 2008-09 is scheduled to be $5,922 for in-state residents and $25,400 for out-of-state residents.

Financial hardships

The question was raised soon after Hickenlooper promised to find funds for Cole students to fill any gaps in the cost of college after students obtained scholarships and other grants. At the time, the mayor's office simply acknowledged that it was being debated.

At least 10 undocumented students who heard the mayor's 2004 speech and are graduating this year will likely have to come up with thousands of dollars on their own to pay out-of-state tuition, according to the mayor's calculation of those who have applied.

But Patricia Lawless, a community organizer for Metro Organizations for People, said the actual number of affected students is probably higher because some of the students had trouble getting their applications in and can apply later. She added that once other graduating classes come into play, the actual number of students affected could rise to more than 100 students.

She and some of the students plan to hold a news conference Monday in which they will press their case.

"This is a very difficult situation for families who wish to send children to a university, but because they are undocumented, they don't have ability to access the funds that are needed," Archuleta said.

A tricky issue

The mayor's pledge at Cole Middle School has become an iconic moment of his administration. His promise to ensure a college education for all those in attendance who graduated went on to become a springboard for a fuller scholarship program. Now, the Denver Scholarship Foundation has expanded the offer throughout the school district.

But the question of how to handle illegal immigrants has dogged the scholarship program. Archuleta said the mayor decided that he would work to provide money to the the children of illegal immigrants, going beyond what the foundation program now offers for other schools in the district. She said that although the foundation doesn't provide scholarships to those who are undocumented, the mayor decided his personal pledge meant he should treat the Cole students differently.

She said he steered the undocumented Cole students to get scholarships from the Latin American Educational Foundation. When the deadline passed without the students applying there, the mayor found a donor to route money through that foundation to cover nearly 10 undocumented students for this year up to the in-state tuition amount, Archuleta said.

Several of the students met with the mayor a couple of weeks ago to tell him they felt they had been misled.

"Since that meeting, the mayor has directed me to try to find other scholarship funds that may be available to undocumented students," Archuleta said. "We have have been trying to find other scholarships or donors or sponsors who would be willing to fill the gap between in-state and out-of-state tuition. We've identified a couple, but we don't have that solidified yet."

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_9262362

"Nobody made him come up to us and promise that to us," said one 19-year-old, who declined to give her name for fear of deportation. "And we've been working for this, to have this scholarship for the past five years, having our hopes up."

Sounds like another bitter illegal who seems to be under the impression they should be entitled to the same opportunities as American Citizens.

How long until the demands start flying?

"I'm going to have to work two jobs all summer and get the money from wherever I can," she said. "And that's not what the mayor promised."

Boo-freaking-hoo! Most Americans students have to work to pay for their college too. Also the mayor didn't promise YOU (IA) anything.

She said he steered the undocumented Cole students to get scholarships from the Latin American Educational Foundation. When the deadline passed without the students applying there, the mayor found a donor to route money through that foundation to cover nearly 10 undocumented students for this year up to the in-state tuition amount, Archuleta said.

What? They couldn't be bothered to apply??? Incredibly dumb!

But the question of how to handle illegal immigrants has dogged the scholarship program. Archuleta said the mayor decided that he would work to provide money to the the children of illegal immigrants, going beyond what the foundation program now offers for other schools in the district. She said that although the foundation doesn't provide scholarships to those who are undocumented, the mayor decided his personal pledge meant he should treat the Cole students differently.

IA's are NOT eligible, so they want to be treated special? Isn't that discriminating?

Free College Promise Does Not Apply To Undocumented Students
Students Must Pay To Make Up Difference In Out-Of-State Tuition
Russell Haythorn, 7NEWS Reporter

POSTED: 4:55 pm MDT May 15, 2008
UPDATED: 5:36 pm MDT May 15, 2008

DENVER -- Was it a promise kept, or a promise broken?

Four years ago in an auditorium at Cole Middle School, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper promised the 300-plus students in attendance that he would find a way to send each of them to college for free.

Now, the first group of those students is set to graduate, and some are finding that the mayor's promise isn't adding up.

The promise only pays in-state tuition, and state law requires illegal immigrants to pay out-of-state tuition.

So undocumented students must make up the difference.

"For the four years that he promised he's only giving us a third," said Yari, who did not want to use her real name, fearing that she might be deported.

For Yari, the mayor's promise was the promise of a lifetime.

"He suddenly just promised everyone who continued with school that he would pay for four years," Yari said.

SURVEY
Is it fair for undocumented students to have to pay out-of-state tuition?
Yes, it is fair.
Yes it is fair, and they shouldn't be getting scholarships either.
No, it's not fair. They may have lived in Colorado for most of their life.

To be clear, the mayor has kept his word. All those students who were in attendance who are legal U.S. citizens will have their in-state tuition paid, and even undocumented students will get the same amount for in-state tuition.

"We believe that the promise was kept," said Hickenlooper's senior policy advisor, Katherine Archuleta.

But under Colorado state law undocumented students must pay out-of-state tuition no matter how long they've lived in the United States.

"That decision was out of our control, but we will continue to raise money to fill that gap," said Archuleta.

Yari is still thankful, despite feeling a bit cheated.

"I feel something is better than nothing. And I appreciate very much what he's giving us. I'm still going to college. I'm going to work two to three jobs this summer just to pay what I need to pay," Yari said.

The scholarships sending Cole students to college are made possible by private donations to the Denver Scholarship Fund. None of the money comes from taxpayers.

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