As in: No, you can't enter our universities.
A final report presented today to the Board of Regents finds that only 501 undocumented students – all paying out-of-state tuition – are among the 310,000 students enrolled in University System of Georgia (USG) institutions this fall. While the numbers are small, beginning in fall 2011, all applicants will undergo new steps designed to strengthen the ability of USG institutions to properly classify students for tuition purposes.
These steps are outlined in four recommendations by the Residency Verification Committee approved today by the Board of Regents. They will go into effect for the fall 2011 semester. These include:
*The addition of language on all applications that outlines the legal penalties for “false swearing,” or knowingly providing incorrect information on the forms. USG officials indicate this will better educate individuals about the process of applying to college.
*The addition of language on all applications that, for the first time, will require applicants to state whether they are seeking in-state tuition. This will help institutions in making a decision on whether or not additional residency verification is necessary.
*A policy requirement that USG institutions verify the lawful presence in the United States of any applicant that is admitted. Students who note they are seeking in-state tuition will, if not applying for federal financial aid (which has its own stringent verification processes), be subject to additional verification by the institution.
*A policy that any person not lawfully present in the United States shall not be eligible for admission to any USG institution which, for the two most recent academic years, did not admit all academically qualified applicants.
“We are an educational agency in the business of preparing individuals for careers requiring knowledge and skills; we are not in the immigration business, nor are we equipped to serve as the immigration authorities,” said Regent James Jolly, who chaired the Residency Verification Committee. “However, these new policies do strengthen our ability to ensure proper tuition classification for all students – a process and a commitment the System has undertaken and met since being formed in 1931.”
No, 501 students out of 10K is not many, but one is too many. Even for a student paying the full load of fees, a state university education is heavily subsidized by the taxpayer. The taxpayers and voters make that decision--you know, citizens of the state.
The screams from the left have already begun, (see the comments at this article), and the lawsuits will fly, and the charges of racism will fill the air.
Here's hoping the Regents stand tall, have a good legal staff, and refuse to back down. It's time to finally begin to address the illegal immigration issue, one institution at a time, one state at a time, one county and township at a time. The Federal Government(under the administration of both parties) has abdicated its duty, while demanding control of the question. They can't have it both ways. Normal people like us have to live here with the consequences of their venality. Time to push back.
Lissen'-up, ya'll: Obama and His Home-boy Eric Holder, and their homeboys in all those 'public-interest-groups' can't sue everyone, everywhere, 24/7/365. Hell, let 'em try! Members of Congress who are pissed off about litigation against OldStateU back home (or whose constituents let them know how pissed off they are), won't be co-operatin' with no new 'Obama 2.0' proposals. OldStateU loyalists, and the citizen parents of citizen children who want to attend OldStateU won't be casting that vote for nobody even remotely associated with Himself and His Home-boy if they sue the board of OldStateU, or the vo-tech in the next county.
And, likely, HisEminence and Home-boy won't be around to see the litigation through past January 2013, anyway. They be toast, all crispy and stuff...
Go git'em, ya'll! Go Dawgs!
