Letter to the Editor: The Dream is Now…for CCM!

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(The opinion here is the author’s and does not necessarily reflect that of this publication.)

Under the long-term guidance of Dr. Edward Yaw, CCM has been widely considered a leader within the community college sector. In 2011, the school’s trustees exercised their own leadership by adopting an enrollment policy which accepted undocumented students meeting certain criteria.

Unfortunately, under intense pressure from a Morris County Freeholder group which has yet to recognize the unfolding demographic reality of this country, students who have been residents of the county must still pay the international student tuition rate, which is 2.8x the in-county resident cost.

Other community colleges have more student friendly, albeit unwritten, policies in this regard, and their budgets are favorably affected because they can attract dramatically more students at the in-county rate than at the international rate.

In 2013, it is time for CCM trustees to again exercise leadership consistent with the school’s mission of open enrollment.  At the March board meeting, CCM trustees indicated that because of the Immigration Act of 1996, they needed state legislation to correct the above tuition rate inequity affecting undocumented students. Bills A3509 and S2479 would provide what the trustees need by “allowing certain students including undocumented immigrants who meet certain criteria to qualify for in-State tuition at public institutions of higher education and State financial aid.”

Articulate and persuasive CCM students—the Dreamers–have attended trustee meetings and given their testimonials about what it means to be paying the dramatically higher international rate, specifically what it does to their education—it typically means a much longer period to graduate and move on to a four-year school, which is what the CCM trustees rightfully regard as a positive outcome–and its impact on their aspiration to be fully contributing members of American society—it means their resolve to stay educationally committed in the face of injustice must be very high.

The specific request of these students is that CCM do what many of its college counterparts have already done: sign a support letter for the very bills which the trustees themselves say they need to do the right thing from a tuition rate standpoint.

And yet CCM trustees have refused to provide such a signature, claiming that this would constitute lobbying—“if we provided a letter here, what about the next bill,” being their excusal statement.  However, reportedly the trustees did support the bond issue of last November which brought capital funds to CCM.

Cynics would say that the Freeholders are the true CCM power base and they do not want the state bill to be passed, even when Republican lawmakers elsewhere are making their peace with the Hispanic community in order to have any chance of recovering from their crushing defeat in the 2012 presidential election. Comprehensive immigration reform at the national level seems likely.  All of which means that the Morris County Freeholders are way behind the political curve.

This is clearly another time for the CCM trustees to speak for themselves, to move forward and embrace the school’s mission, which of course is the trustees mission: facilitating open and diverse enrollment—and it can be done by simply adding their collective signature to the supporters everywhere of A3509/S2479.

Bob Howitt
Denville, NJ
May 24, 2013

2 COMMENTS

  1. Unfortunately Mr. Howitt has the cart before the horse. Before undocumented students, as he calls them, can attend CCM, by paying the in county tuition they must be in the United States legally. It is unfortunate that these students have parents that have little to no respect for our laws, and bought their children to this country without any regard for our immigration law. Mr. Howitt is blinded by his misguided sense of fairness too the so called undocumented students. He would put them in the front of other students here in this country legally as immigrants, and as citizens to the determinate of citizens of Morris County, other New Jersey Counties and Other states. This would include Veterans and serviceman and women in the National Guard and the Reserves. These undocumented students have stolen a high school education costing about 20K a year. If allowed to attend CCM they will be taking the place of American Citizens, and Legal resident immigrants.

    There are 56 million American Citizens of Hispanic Ancestry that can use a hand up, and they should receive that help before anyone who is in our country illegally, regardless of how they got here or who is responsible for getting them here in the first place. There are 56 million American Citizens of Hispanic Ancestry and they are and should be in the front of the line for a near free college education.

    Por favor, ayudar a los ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos primero, es Inly
    derecho

  2. The best way to impact this policy or any of the others is in the voting booth. Remember every vote counts. Ask your candidates where they stand on this issue and others like open space, conflict of interest, recreation and many other programs and policies that may be important to you. Make your voted count.

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