Georgia Closer to Banning Undocumented Students from Public Colleges; Students Arrested at Protest

Outrage in Georgia. Campus Progress reported recently on legislation in Florida and Georgia that unfairly targeted the Latino community. Now, the latter state is pushing forward on its controversial bill that will ban undocumented immigrants from public colleges. Lawmakers in favor of the bill argued that Georgia public colleges are for those here legally, but critics claim the bill is unnecessary because undocumented students don’t benefit from taxpayer supported in-state tuition rates. Instead, they pay an out-of-state tuition rate that is about three times higher and provides crucial funding for the school system. Though university officials recommend the current system not be changed, the bill has moved to the Senate for a full vote and is expected to pass. [Huffington Post]

LGBT Arrests. An equal rights protest at a county clerk’s office in Austin, Tex., resulted in the arrests of several college students including the secretary of the Gay-Straight Alliance chapter at Austin Community College. The students were arrested after refusing to leave the clerk’s office. The protest was organized by GetEQUAL Texas, a community organization that works for marriage equality and other rights for the LGBT community. A 2005 referendum to the Texas Constitution, which defined marriage as between one man and one woman, was the source of the protest.  [Accent]

More Tuition Hikes. Students at the University of Florida and Florida State University are facing major tuition increases if a bill moving through the Florida legislature becomes law. The bill, which was approved by education committees in the House and Senate, creates a two-tier education with the aforementioned schools at the top. Instead of charging the same tuition rates as other state schools, they would be permitted to charge “market rate tuition,” or whatever is needed. UF and FSU administrators are defending the legislation, arguing flexibility in tuition rates is important since they need extra money to stay competitive on a national level. They insist their schools will put forward a reinvigorated financial aid program to accompany the inevitable tuition increases, but critics claim the bill will have disastrous consequences for students nonetheless. [Palm Beach Post]

Search Continues. Boston College students have bolstered their efforts to find 21-year-old classmate Franco Garcia, who vanished after last being seen at a bar last week. Students and family members have posted countless flyers in the area where Garcia vanished and police have deployed helicopters to survey heavily wooded areas for clues. None of the efforts have yielded any results thus far. Garcia’s car remains parked at Boston College. Students vow to continue the efforts in the days ahead. [Boston Globe]

Graham White is a journalism intern for Campus Progress. You can follow him on Twitter @GrahamWhiteNY.

Related Stories

• Border Security Debate Could Pull Trigger on Immigration Reform
• I Was a Stranger and You Invited Me In: Faith-Based Advocacy for Immigration Reform
• Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Turns One
• Rep. Steve King Tweets About “Illegal Aliens” Invading His Office
• Senate Agrees to Debate Immigration Reform Legislation