Dear Commons Community,
The Daily News is reporting that the New York State Assembly yesterday voted 136 to 3 to create a privately financed scholarship fund to help the children of immigrants pay college tuitions.
“This is a historic piece of legislation that will allow these children the opportunity to get money to go to college,” said Assemblyman Francisco Moya (D-Queens), the bill’s primary sponsor.
“This will open up a pathway for those students who can’t afford a (college education),” Moya added.
The measure now heads to the GOP-controlled Senate, where it faces an uncertain future.
“We are reviewing it,” said Scott Reif, a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Nassau).
Moya and other supporters described the bill as an important first step toward the controversial DREAM Act, which would authorize government-funded tuition assistance to the children of undocumented immigrants.
Tony
Great post,
Thank you for sharing ,
Azad
While the passage on it face appears to be a good one, why can’t the state enact a definitive transformation in the form of the New York Dream Act, a bill that would open the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) to all youth regardless of immigration status. This is not to say that the cause here is not a good one but this only funds but so much money. Who decides which immigrant child gets the appropriate funding even on a CUNY level? And how much. TAP when not used wisely by students, runs out, forcing many of our own students to dig into their already strapped pockets. The financial aid schemata needs to be broken down so that all students understand exactly what TAP, PELL and the other financial venues out can do for them as well as the pitfalls many students run into regarding pass/fail status and that impact on their aid.