N.M. college doors open for undocumented

The cost of this "program" will be borne by higher tuition rates for the legal students who attend college, and for each one of those illegals who gets to park their carcass in a seat, that's one less available seat for a legal U.S. citizen.

If I were an alumni of any of those schools I would never contribute again, and I would tell them why.  Money talks, plain and simple.

Graciela Sandt said:

By Associated Press
July 16, 2007

FORT COLLINS - At least 10 undocumented students from Colorado will get to attend classes at the University of New Mexico this fall, with many not having to pay for tuition or books.

A new Colorado law prohibits state colleges from providing in- state tuition to undocumented immigrants.

In New Mexico, the state is barred from denying education benefits based on immigration status, said Terry Babbitt, director of admissions for the University of New Mexico.

While New Mexico's state financial aid is intended for residents, Poudre High School counselor Isabel Thacker in Colorado found a way for her students to receive in-state tuition, plus scholarships to cover it.

A full year of tuition at UNM, or 12 credit hours per semester, costs $4,570.80, said Alex Gonzalez, associate director of the scholarship office at UNM. An institutional scholarship available to undocumented students covers $5,000 of their tuition and book expenses.

"The neat thing about the program at Poudre is that we have been able to open the door of opportunity for these students," said Thacker, a Cuban-born citizen who came to the United States when she was 9.

The four students who attended UNM through the program last year all earned a grade point average of at least 3.0, she said.

Students entering the program have an average GPA of 3.5, have taken advanced placement classes and been involved in extracurricular activities, Thacker said.

Nine undocumented students from Poudre High and one from Fort Collins High School will attend UNM in the fall through the program.

Former Colorado Senate President John Andrews, who backed the campaign to deny certain services to illegal immigrants in Colorado, said he was concerned about the program.

"Now that a high school graduate is of age, they are recognized as young adults and they become responsible for their own action," he said.

"The only law-abiding choice that a young person like this can make is to return to their country of origin after graduating high school. I don't think that we are doing a high school graduate any favors by sending him or her the message that breaking the law benefits themselves," Andrews said.