Wednesday, September 16, 2009

In-state tuition for illegal aliens?

At a time when the University of California is considering raising fees (they don't like to use the word "tuition") by a whopping 30%, the Orange County Register has a poll asking readers whether they want to keep or repeal AB540, which allows "undocumented students" to pay the same "in-state" fees that California residents who are US citizens or permanent residents pay.

While the proposed $1344 increase (15% early next year and another 15% in the 2010-11 academic year) is painful, are "undocumented students" who have grown up in California (and whose parents may have paid income tax and sales tax, despite their illegal status) being scapegoated? Do they represent a significant loss, or does educating them lead to less tangible benefits for society — more educated people in poorer communities, greater assimilation, etc. — that would be had down the road if these "undocumented students" end up staying in California?

It is indeed a contentious issue, with the OCR comments already reaching 350.

[above: UCI could save some money by not watering so much. I remember jogging in the rain and still seeing the sprinklers running. Or maybe they could make some extra cash by getting Hollywood to make a few more sequels to Planet of the Apes.]

5 comments:

  1. The picture above. Is that UCI or Community College of West Irvine?

    It's certainly not Westwood Junior College... ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Are you making fun of UCI? Peter the Anteater will zot your Trojan ass.

    Um, both pictures are UCI. The lower one, of course, is an aerial view of the campus, taken from the air. :)

    The 대표적인 circles of the UCI layout are clearly visible.

    The top picture is a bunch of people in one of the common areas watching the Obama inauguration.

    ReplyDelete
  3. kushibo,

    You and I both know that there is only one REAL university in Southern California.

    You know USC is Harvard for spoiled rich South OC kids, right?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Edward wrote:
    You and I both know that there is only one REAL university in Southern California.

    Since I'm guessing you're not going to say "Cal Irvine" (which no one at UCI calls it, by the way), but I am very happy with what I know was a real university experience, I'm going to have to disagree with you.

    You know USC is Harvard for spoiled rich South OC kids, right?

    USC = University for Spoiled Children

    And while we're at it:

    UCLA = University of Caucasians Lost among Asians

    UCI = University for the Children of Immigrants

    ReplyDelete
  5. kush,

    You are taking this maybe way too seriously?

    I'm just playin' around!

    And on that note:

    UCLA = Westwood Junior College

    UCI = West Irvine Community College

    USC = Da bomb University... ;)

    ReplyDelete

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