Petition from Alumnae: Smith College, Accept and Fund Qualified Undocumented Applicants in 2014!

SMITH COLLEGE ALUMNAE: Urge Smith College's President McCartney to lead the way on a national problem deeply connected to class and race disparities: college admissions for undocumented young people.

To Kathleen McCartney:


We write to you as a group of alumnae who are immensely proud to call ourselves graduates of Smith College. We are especially proud of Smith’s commitment to tackling society’s inequalities and prejudices through its progressive admissions policies, as illustrated by its commitment to recruiting and supporting first-generation college students as well as students of color. As allies and advocates of these policies, we request that the College now become a leading voice on another national problem deeply connected to class and race disparities: college admissions for undocumented young people.


Smith students are some of the brightest and most talented undergraduates in the world, with a history of students pushing for needed institutional change. We are particularly impressed with the recently-formed Organizing for Undocumented Students. These students’ measured engagement with issues around college admissions for undocumented immigrants encapsulates the optimistic, forward-thinking, and tenacious character of past and present Smith students. As graduates of Smith, it is inspiring to see such driven and passionate students.


We stand with the students in encouraging Smith to take a groundbreaking role in undocumented student admissions. Hampshire College has already admitted and funded an undocumented student from the state of Georgia’s renowned Freedom University project; it would be wonderful to see this become a collaborative Five College effort. Below are our recommendations:


1. That the College admit undocumented young people as domestic applicants, not as international students, given that many of them have lived in the United States for much of their lives.


2. That their application process be as fair and informative as it is for any other prospective student, with admissions officers fully informed about Smith's policy and practice on this issue.


3. That the admissions process for undocumented applicants be clearly described on the admissions website, without language likely to deter undocumented young people from applying.


4. That the College set aside funds to meet admitted undocumented applicants’ full demonstrated financial need, just as Smith already does for the vast majority of all applicants. As undocumented young people are ineligible for government-funded student loans, and often come from low-income families, this is especially critical to further removing undocumented Americans' barriers to college education.


In addition, we ask that the College continue conversations on this issue among administrators at all levels, and become a leader on this social justice issue. In short, we hope that Smith leadership will do everything in its power to help provide promising new directions for exceptional young people who lack documentation.


Signed,

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