By Mario Hernandez
Reporter
Since President Donald Trump ended Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA,) and called on Congress to act, many universities have initiated programs and advocacies to support DACA students.
CSU Bakersfield has held informational events and is in the process of creating a DACA task force. Claudia Catota, assistant to the president for equity, inclusion and compliance is, leading the task force.
“Sort of what began this, was really conversations I was having with folks on campus including feedback that I was getting from students that self-identified as undocumented,” said Catota. “It is not more or less that they didn’t feel supported. It’s more that they wanted some type of visibility.”
“That’s really where the task force comes in right now. I’m really looking at what other campuses are doing in terms of seeing who might be around the table,” said Catota.
Although the task force is identified as the DACA task force, its goal is to assist and aid all undocumented students.
Catota said she is in the planning stage for the task force.
“Dr. Mitchell and I had a conversation of what we could do here on our campus for undocumented students specifically,” said Catota.
The task force has not had a meeting yet and its members are still not confirmed. Many departments will be included in the task force. “Student Affairs will definitely be a player in that conversation, financial aid definitely, admissions and records, definitely somebody from the advisors group,” said Catota.
Betsy Plascencia, a junior sociology major, liked what CSUB has been doing with the DACA situation and is aware of some of the events the campus has hosted.
“I like it. I don’t have it myself but I do have family members who do want to get an education. If it wasn’t for DACA, they wouldn’t be able to come to CSUB,” said Plascencia.
Catoa has gotten many questions regarding admissions.
High school counselors and students will call and ask for admissions verification or clear the question of whether undocumented students may apply to the campus.
“It asks ‘please insert your Social Security number’ and they call asking ‘What can I do in this case. Can I apply even though I’m not documented or don’t have a S.S.N?” said Catota.
Students are still allowed to apply to CSUs without DACA and with in-state tuition by applying to AB 540.
DACA produces permits for students to attend school and work, but it is not a scholarship program. Nonetheless, it’s the DACA program that produces the working permit for students to be able to pay for tuition.
“AB 540 and the Cal Grant Dream Act are separate from DACA and will not affect the financial aid you are now receiving through the state of California,” said Catota.
The task force has a powerful responsibility ahead of them.
Spreading important information to all students, and specifically undocumented students, is an objective Catota is working to solve with student representatives.
According to Catota, a couple members from the task force had different ideas on how to spread information to students efficiently, they need a strategy to complete the task.
Catoa also has been planning an AB 540 DACA ally program to create better assistance for undocumented students.
Plascencia said she didn’t think the campus had publicized events very well.
“Here and there and from emails that I get, but more than that no, it’s minimal,” said Plascencia.
Mario De la Peña, a freshman political science major, did not like the presidential decision of removing DACA. Nonetheless, he said CSUB has been doing enough.
“A lot of people don’t really check their school email now and then. So I feel like they need to post some flyers around more. I think she [Catota] would have to do more word of mouth especially here on campus” said De la Peña.
