NC: Community college policy under review

[zeezil]

Community college policy under review
N.C. system leaders want attorney general's opinion on rule's legality
MARK JOHNSON
mjohnson@charlotteobserver.com

RALEIGH --Leaders of North Carolina's community college system have asked state Attorney General Roy Cooper to review whether they acted legally by requiring the system's 58 colleges to admit illegal immigrants.

The request comes as Martin Lancaster, outgoing president of the community college system and a former Democratic congressman, issued his first statement on the controversy since it erupted more than a week ago.

Lancaster defended the new policy as benefiting students who, in many cases, were brought to North Carolina as children. He also suggested that, if left uneducated, those children could cost the state in future social services or in acts of violence or terrorism.

The community college system's top lawyer, David Sullivan, dispatched a letter Monday asking Cooper, a Democrat, for his opinion on whether community college administrators properly interpreted state and federal law.

"Our position has been called into question by many," said community colleges spokeswoman Audrey Bailey. "While we are confident that we are correct in our interpretation, we want verification from the Attorney General in hopes that it will quell some of the comments."

Since the Observer published a story about the controversy last week, the community college system's offices have received a stream of complaints.

N.C. Sen. Fred Smith, a Republican candidate for governor, also sent Cooper a letter Monday asking him to review the system's policy.

"We are sending a message to students and employers that North Carolina will not only ignore federal immigration law, but provide encouragement and assistance to individuals who are breaking the law," Smith wrote to Cooper. "Surely, this is not the lesson we want to impart through our school system."

Community college administrators said 340 illegal immigrants currently attend community colleges out of the 270,000 students pursuing degrees. The undocumented students pay out-of-state tuition, about $7,500, while the cost of their classes is about $5,400. That figure, though, does not include the schools' capital expenses, such as construction and maintenance of buildings.

Sullivan sent a memo Nov. 7 to all campuses saying they must admit illegal immigrants. He wrote that the order was based on a review of both the system's open-door admissions policy and an informal opinion from the office of then-Attorney General Mike Easley in 1997 regarding non-academic admission requirements.

Easley, a Democrat and governor since 2001, initially refused to take a position on the policy last week, but on Friday told the Observer he supports it.

Lancaster's statement said, among other points, that European countries denying basic services to immigrants have created a permanent underclass now responsible for violence and terrorism in those countries.

"By refusing to educate and make productive members of our society the children of undocumented aliens," Lancaster wrote, "North Carolina and the United States face that same eventuality."

Andrew Reynolds, a British citizen and expert on European politics at UNC Chapel Hill, said Lancaster's argument carries an element of truth, as illustrated by recent riots in predominantly immigrant suburbs of Paris.

"In some European countries," Reynolds said, "especially France and to some degree Spain, there is evidence that a whole host of marginalizing policies that keep minorities out of the mainstream is one of the factors that leads to anti-government violence."

Lancaster also argued that every wave of immigration in American history has faced the same sort of opposition now raised against Hispanics. That history applies to those who have complained to Lancaster's office, he said, judging by their surnames.

"Fifty or a hundred years ago," Lancaster said, "their grandparents or great grandparents faced the same opposition that they are now voicing."

Martin Lancaster's statement:
http://www.ncccs.cc.nc.us/News_Releases ... mented.htm

http://www.charlotte.com/mobile/story/391646.html

[zeezil]

OK, Patriots. We have two more to add to the list of 19 to contact
(see: http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-541673.html#541673 )

Roy Cooper
Attorney General for North Carolina
Phone: 919-716-6400
Contact information to Attorney General, Roy Cooper. E-mail form is at the bottom of the page:
http://www.ncdoj.com/default_contactus_ ... id=general

Martin Lancaster
President of North Carolina Community College Association
(919) 807 - 6950
LANCASTER@nccommunitycolleges.edu

[corhanem]

"In some European countries," Reynolds said, "especially France and to some degree Spain, there is evidence that a whole host of marginalizing policies that keep minorities out of the mainstream is one of the factors that leads to anti-government violence."

Isn't it possible that these illegal aliens in Paris have failed to even try to assimilate themselves into French culture. You can't look at a phenomonenon and say "this is the cause, definitely" when there could be other, just as likely, or even more likely, roots for that problem.

[zeezil]

Please remind Martin Lancaster that he is in direct violation of his OATH OF OFFICE:



Oath of Office
Do you, H. Martin Lancaster, solemnly and sincerely swear that you will support the Constitution of the United States and do you solemnly and sincerely swear that you will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the State of North Carolina and to the constitutional powers and authorities which are or may be established for the government thereof, and that you will endeavor to support, maintain and defend the Constitution of the said State, not inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States?

And as you enter upon the office of President of the Community College System of North Carolina, do you undertake to fulfill its duties to the best of your ability and without fear or favor, to cherish and encourage high standards of scholarship and thorough teaching and learning of each subject for every student taught in the several institutions of the system; to honor and defend the open policies of the system, regardless of race, creed or color, to the end that any citizen of suitable age who can learn what is taught, may be admitted to the student's chosen institution, and assisted in the processes of learning; to encourage the faculties to elicit from each student, as thoroughly as may be, that concern for humanity which makes for peace, for prosperity, for better work, for safer play and for an abiding respect for the arts that befit a free people, to encourage each institution to uphold the ideal of service to the people of its community in every appropriate and commendable way, so that collectively the system may help to make a profound improvement in the moral, cultural, social and economic well-being of the people of North Carolina?

And further, do you swear that you will well and truly execute the duties of the office of President of the Community College System of North Carolina to the best of your skill and ability, so help you God?
http://www.ncccs.cc.nc.us/External_Affa ... Office.htm

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Martin Lancaster
President of North Carolina Community College Association
(919) 807 - 6950
LANCASTER@nccommunitycolleges.edu

[dragons5]

"In some European countries," Reynolds said, "especially France and to some degree Spain, there is evidence that a whole host of marginalizing policies that keep minorities out of the mainstream is one of the factors that leads to anti-government violence."

Isn't it possible that these illegal aliens in Paris have failed to even try to assimilate themselves into French culture. You can't look at a phenomonenon and say "this is the cause, definitely" when there could be other, just as likely, or even more likely, roots for that problem.

exactly. Remember the Spanish Prime Minister has been begging the EU for a crackdown on illegal aliens. Mostly muslim illegal aliens from N. Africa are practically invading and they cant keep track of them.

[ALIPAC]

I need to know what social services the rioters in France were denied. It is my understanding they were turned into "Guest Workers" and given full social services.

W

[had_enuf]

Expert on European politics at UNC Chapel Hill, said Lancaster's argument carries an element of truth, as illustrated by recent riots in predominantly immigrant suburbs of Paris.

I've never seen so many feeble attempts to cya in my life. I hope these fools in raleigh are getting an earful from true immigrants who've done the paperwork, paid the lawyers and came here legally. As posted somewhere else, where do they get in line for a refund?

[zeezil]

Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Community-college official backs new immigrant-enrollment policy
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

RALEIGH

The president of the state community-college system won’t back down from a new policy that allows illegal immigrants to enroll on all campuses, saying that doing otherwise runs counter to a nearly 50-year-old tradition of open admissions.

Martin Lancaster, who will soon retire from his post, defended the change in a statement sent to reporters yesterday. He said that children of people who entered the country illegally shouldn’t be punished after attending public schools by being denied the opportunity to better their lives through education.

“They were brought here by their parents, often as babes in arms,â€

[Ratbstard]

If we read between the lines doesn't this statement:

Lancaster defended the new policy as benefiting students who, in many cases, were brought to North Carolina as children. He also suggested that, if left uneducated, those children could cost the state in future social services or in acts of violence or terrorism.

:Admit then that those illegals (the vast majority) who do not acquire a higher education pose a serious threat to our Sovereign Nation?

[miguelina]

Since being an illegal alien is against federal law, wouldn't colleges be violating that law by admitting illegal aliens?