Right call on college

Many students excel and obtain high school diplomas but are unable to gain affordable access to our colleges and universities because of their undocumented status. For North Carolina to succeed in the 21st century economy, we must make higher education accessible for all academically qualified students regardless of immigration status.

Today, six out of 10 jobs in our new knowledge-intensive economy require at least some post-secondary education and training. Tomorrow, the percentage will be even higher.

The Institute for Emerging Issues Business Committee on Higher Education recently issued recommendations to shed light on meaningful ways to close the impending work force gap in our state. BCHE members argued strongly for expanding access to higher education for all students, including undocumented students. As a result, the committee's co-chairs, Ann Goodnight of SAS and Bob Ingram of GlaxoSmithKline, wrote to Gov. Mike Easley, Sen. Marc Basnight and House Speaker Joe Hackney to underscore the critical need to educate undocumented immigrants.

On behalf of 24 business leaders serving on the BCHE and of the many more businesses that will be positively affected, I commend Easley and the N.C. Community College System for taking a stand on this important issue for the future of the state.

Anita R. Brown-Graham
Director, Institute for Emerging Issues
Raleigh
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Contact information for the above organization:
Institute for Emerging Issues
Campus Box 7406 NC State University
Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-7406
Telephone: 919.515.7741
Fax: 919.513.7535
Email: institute@ncsu.edu