Eastern NC community colleges anticipate entrance of illegal immigrants

111 undocumented students out of 220,000 people attending community colleges statewide before 2008 ban

By: Arthur Mondale | WNCT
Published: September 21, 2009

Administrators at local community colleges are weighing in on a new ruling that will allow illegal immigrants to take classes in North Carolina. Last week's ruling reversed the ban imposed last year that kept them out of the community college system. Now more educators say students shouldn't be punished for the federal government's failure on immigration issues.
Dr. Donald Spell, Pitt Community College VP of Student Services says the latest controversial ruling to admit "undocumented students” puts the community college system's open-door policy to the test.
The new policy means undocumented students must graduate from a US high school, and pay out-of-state tuition--which is roughly five times higher than the in-state rate. But they can't displace a North Carolina or US resident from a class or program.
Some opponents still don't like it.
"These individuals are here,” Spell said. “We've already made a substantial investment in terms of public high school and now they're finished. What are they going to do?"
Dr. Spell joins other community college heads in the east who say while the newest policy is more balanced, it's not a solution to a greater problem. Spell adds, “At some point this really has to be approached at the federal level...graduate--what are you going to do now? You can't get a job because you're undocumented."

College presidents don't know if the new policy will bring a significant enrollment increase by illegal immigrants.
Administrators say there were only 111 undocumented students out of 220,000 people attending community colleges statewide before last year's ban.