On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled Arizona students protected under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will no longer be eligible for in-state college tuition. More than 2,000 students in the state are affected, including 26 currently enrolled at Northern Arizona University.
In light of this ruling, NAU President Rita Cheng issued the following statement:
“Like many of our faculty, staff and students, I am concerned about this week’s ruling. Educating all students, including DACA students, is very important to NAU and to me personally.
As a state institution, NAU must follow the law, but I understand how challenging and difficult this is for our DACA students and their families. We will continue to monitor information regarding the Arizona Supreme Court ruling. I have also joined our sister institutions and university presidents across the country in asking Congress to act on immigration reform to provide legal clarity for DACA students.
DACA students enrolling for summer or fall, who are eligible, can take advantage of the non-resident tuition rate for Arizona high school graduates.
In 2015, the Arizona Board of Regents enacted a policy to provide non-resident tuition at 150 percent of base tuition for graduates of Arizona high schools who otherwise are not eligible for resident tuition. The rate is open to all studentswho meet the eligibility requirements, not just DACA students.
NAU will remain in close contact with the DACA students we serve throughout the state to ensure they have the services and information they need.”