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Posted on 07/28/2003 8:24:37 PM PDT by new cruelty
Diana Mora, 18, of Chicago, would love to attend Northwestern because it's a "really great school'' with "really good prestige.'' Martha, 20, of Chicago, earned high grades at Roosevelt High School in hopes of attending the elite university in Evanston.
But even though both graduated at the top of their respective classes and both were accepted for admission at NU, neither can attend.
That's because as illegal immigrants from Mexico, they are not eligible for financial aid--either from the government or Northwestern. At $37,338 for a year of tuition and room and board, they said not getting aid is just like not getting accepted at all--there is no way they can afford to go.
"We should have the opportunity to be able to go to the top universities,'' said Martha, who asked that her full name not be used. "A lot of people think Hispanics can't do it. We can do it. We just don't have the resources. I don't think it's fair."
But an Uptown-based community group is hoping to change that. The Organization of the NorthEast is lobbying a handful of local private universities to do more to help illegal students attend their campuses.
Emboldened by the passage of a recent law allowing illegal, longtime Illinois residents who graduate from state high schools to pay in-state tuition, they say there is nothing stopping schools like Northwestern from providing their own funds to help the students. Under current law, the students are ineligible for federal or state aid.
In response to the group's effort, Loyola University created a task force to recommend ways to assist illegal students, although the school has not committed to any action.
If Northwestern--one of the nation's top schools--took action, it "could set a trend'' for other private schools, said Joyce Ramirez-Knight, co-chair of the immigration strategy team for the organization.
But Northwestern has rejected calls to change its policy of only offering aid to U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
NU officials say the school only offers full scholarships to athletes. All other aid is need-based, and is typically a combination of federal and state money in addition to aid directly from Northwestern.
Because NU would have to provide all the funds itself, providing aid to illegal students would drain NU's $51 million aid budget more quickly than giving aid to low-income students who are legal residents, NU officials said.
Such aid "is much more expensive and deprives others of resources,'' NU President Henry Bienen said in a letter to the group late last month. Bienen also said there could be legal problems with "selectively limiting assistance to any particular group of noncitizens.''
Bienen was unavailable for comment Friday, but NU spokesman Al Cubbage said the school doesn't see how it could offer scholarships to Mexican citizens who live in the Chicago area over Mexican citizens who live in Mexico.
But Ramirez-Knight ridiculed the school's assertion that the aid was too costly, considering the school's $3.3 billion endowment was the 15th largest in the country in 2002.
She also said there is a difference between students like Mora and Martha and international students who have no plans to stay in the States. The women have lived here for years, their families are here and they attended local elementary and high schools. They are simply caught in the process of trying to become citizens, which can take between seven and 21 years.
"They know no other country,'' she said.
Nah, it doesn't bother us at all...
Apparently so.
Now if the funds were coming out of the hides of Illinois taxpayers or US taxpayers, then Northwestern would be all in favor of tuition grants for illegal aliens.
I am always amazed (not) by how conservative liberals can be when it comes their OWN money.
Keep in mind that I attended the Lazamataz School of Freeping...
"Proudly posting without reading the entrie thread since 1999."
When we were researching schools (three years back) for my eldest daughter, I found a book at Barnes and Noble which listed all the universities and the particulars about how to apply, etc.
My daughter was already expressing an interest in Northwestern so I turned to that page. I remember reading there that Northwestern is not a school that gives out much in the way of financial aid scholarships. From then on, I had to start trying to educate my daughter to the reality of our financial situation and that we simply were not going to be able to afford Northwestern.
But, but, THAT'S NOT FAIR!
You all best keep your noses clean, buckle those seat belts, pay those parking fines, and don't be late on those taxes, as all of our traitorous leaders and politicos wink and nod at this epic nationwide lawlessness, chaos and fraud, created by millions of illegals, that just happen to be on their way to a home town near you...... Wink wink!
Isn't that kind of racist?
Yes, it is considered racist to persons who consider themselves citizens of the world, I suppose.
Who said life was fair??
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Liberals say life should be fair.
Gephardt refer to those who have educated themselves, taken risks, worked hard and saved their hard earned money as those who "have won life's lottery".
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