Dive Brief:
- A Georgia Superior Court has ruled in favor of ten students who sued the state for its prohibition on undocumented citizens qualifying for in-state tuition rates, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
- Students once blocked from reduced rates for college enrollment, among the lowest in the nation and about three-times lower than out-of-state rates, can now enroll under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which grants citizenship clemency to students brought to the United States as children from other nations.
- The state has not indicated if it will seek an appeal in a higher court.
Dive Insight:
Unlike federal rulemaking on overtime eligibility for employees, the DACA program does not force colleges and universities to adjust budgets or resources to accommodate paying students. And for states with similar rules impacting undocumented citizens, colleges have attempted to make this case to advocacy groups and think tanks in opposition to the rule.
College leaders bear the responsibility of demonstrating the economic impact of enrolling undocumented students, as well as the civic and academic benefits of welcoming more diverse students to a range of campus communities. They should also consider potential backlash from oppositional perspectives in media, and on campus.