SAC Students Convince Board of Governors to Expand DACA Resolution

by Sabrina Zamora

September 27, 2017

1301

• BOG
• DACA

Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley and President of the Board Cecilia V. Estolano discussing the protections for DACA Students. / Jessmarie Flores / el Don

Students Maria Zacarias and Emmanuel Gonzalez patiently listening to the chancellors office overview on DACA. / Royanna Elizalde / el Don

Student Emmanuel Gonzalez presenting his personal story and effects from DACA removal. / Jessmarie Flores / el Don

Students Maria Zacarias and Emmanuel Gonzalez presenting their views and situations about DACA. / Jessmarie Flores / el Don

Photo by Jessmarie Flores / el Don

Scott Pulsipher signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the state. / Jessmarie Flores / el Don

Laura Hope, Executive Vice Chancellor for Educational Services & support along side Scott Pulsipher of Western Governor University and Melissa Flores Vice president of operations partnership and Mary Hendrick Lead for Relationships Manager. discussing the Memorandom of Understanding. / Jessmarie Flores / el Don

Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley, President of the Board Cecilia V. Estolano And Vice President Tom Epstein. / Jessmarie Flores / el Don

In a Sept. 19 meeting at Santa Ana College, the board discussed an original resolution, which urged the safeguarding of students part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Strong student testimony convinced the board to expand the resolution to shield all undocumented people in the state, board president Cecilia Estolano said.

Two SAC students, Maria Zacarias and Manuel Gonzalez, spoke during public comment.

“Our fellow undocumented community members are affected by this. If a student’s parents get deported, that student will no longer just be a student, they end up being the primary caretaker,” said Zacarias. “If a student’s family member or younger sibling get deported, they will have to figure out how to help their parents or single parent cope with this and figure out how to maneuver through the legal system.”

California is home to over 2 million unauthorized immigrants, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. About 250,000 of them reside in Orange County.

Estolano said SAC was chosen to host the recent Board of Governors meeting because its members wanted to engage with the students.

For the first time, the board met on campus for two consecutive days to discuss multiple topics regarding California community colleges.

The Board of Governors Fee Waiver will be renamed the California College Promise Grant beginning in 2019.

The board announced plans to minimize the required number of accumulated units to earn an associate degree from 87 to 79.

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Sabrina Zamora

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