Undocumented Undergraduates on College Campuses: Understanding Their Challenges and Assets and What It Takes to Make an Undocufriendly Campus
Undocumented students face a host of challenges in attending and completing college, including lack of social support from their college campuses and fellow students. In this study, surveys were completed by over 900 undocumented college students attending 264 higher education institutions in the US (88.7% of participants were Latinx and 33 different primary languages were represented). The participants offered numerous recommendations for creating 'undocufriendly' campuses, suggesting actions that campus staff and administrators can take. The first step is to build "a broad foundation of understanding." Among campus staff and faculty, including training on how to tailor college services to undocumented students and providing 'ally training' for fellow students. Concrete supports are also needed, including financial aid, culturally-sensitive counseling, and informed academic and career advising. Additionally, colleges can promote key social supports, including the creation of physical 'safe spaces' for undocumented students and designating visible, active 'undocuallies' (faculty, staff, and fellow students) to support students' academic and personal growth. All of these steps encourage a campus climate of respect for undocumented students and their experiences. (Immigrant Integration Lab at Boston College)
Suárez-Orozco, C., Katsiaficas, D., Birchall, O., Alcantar, C. M., Hernandez, E., Garcia, Y., … Teranishi, R. T. (2015). Undocumented Undergraduates on College Campuses: Understanding Their Challenges and Assets and What It Takes to Make an Undocufriendly Campus. Harvard Educational Review, 85(3), 427–463. https://doi.org/10.17763/0017-8055.85.3.427