Higher education institutional agents as policy implementers: The case of policies that affect undocumented and DACAmented students

This study examined the role higher education institutional agents had as implementers of policies that affected undocumented and DACAmented students. A total of 45 community college professionals in states with equitable and exclusionary policies pertaining to undocumented students’ college access (California, Connecticut, Georgia, and Wisconsin) were interviewed. The findings explore those factors that shaped higher …

High school students’ accuracy in estimating the cost of college: A proposed methodological approach and differences among racial/ethnic groups and college financial-related factors

High school students’ accuracy in estimating the cost of college (AECC) was examined by utilizing a new methodological approach, the absolute-deviation-continuous construct. This study used the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09) data and examined 10,530 11th grade students in order to measure their AECC for 4-year public and private postsecondary institutions. The findings …

Incorporating undocumented/DACAmented status competency into higher education institutional agents’ practice

This article examines undocumented/DACAmented status competency centered on the awareness, knowledge, and skills necessary for higher education institutional agents to support undocumented and DACAmented students. This study is part of a larger investigation that examined the factors that affected the extent to which 45 community college institutional agents implemented policies that affected undocumented/ DACAmented students …

Undocumented students’ experiences with microaggressions during their college choice process

Despite years of research on microaggressions, relatively little is known about how undocumented students experience episodes of microaggressions during their college choice process. Microaggressions are cumulative discriminatory acts delivered to marginalized groups via verbal, nonverbal, and environmental insults (Sue, 2010; Sue et al., 2007). Guided by Sue and colleagues’ (2007) and Sue’s (2010) microaggressions research, …

Undocumented immigrants and higher education policy: The policymaking environment of New York State

This research presents findings of the policymaking environment in the area of postsecondary education benefits for undocumented immigrants in New York. It describes how New York behaved in response to ever-changing federal, state, and local actions in the area of postsecondary education benefits for undocumented students. Second, this investigation identifies five political forces (power of …

Bridging the gap: Guiding the college search of undocumented students

Many immigrants come to the United States with the belief that their children will have expanded college opportunities compared to those available in their countries of birth. However, undocumented immigrants’ college enrollment figures do not mirror that belief. Nienhusser (2013) noted that more research is needed in the area of undocumented students’ college choice process …

Open college aid to undocumented students

This op-ed advocates for Connecticut to enact legislation that would grant state financial aid to undocumented students. Connecticut is one of only 18 states that grants in-state resident tuition to certain undocumented students. However, the state does not permit its undocumented students to receive state financial aid. This piece argues that Connecticut’s inaction has likely …

College Choice in an Urban Context

Investigation exploring the college-going culture of high schools and college choice process of high school students in Hartford. It examines those perspectives of 34 high school seniors, 14 high school institutional agents, and 4 community-based organization staff members.

Role of community colleges in the implementation of postsecondary education enrollment policies for undocumented students

This article examines the case of how the City University of New York (CUNY)—its central administrative offices and two of its community colleges—has addressed the issue of college access for undocumented immigrants in its implementation of New York’s college in-state resident tuition (ISRT) policy for this population. It highlights the role of implementers—those individuals who …