IUSA authors and co-sponsors equality resolution at annual conference

Representatives from the IU Student Association co-sponsored a resolution at the annual Association of Big Ten Schools conference supporting tuition equality for undocumented residents in Indiana and throughout the Big Ten.

“This is a formal statement of our advocacy for tuition equality and access to higher education,” Chris Kauffman, IUSA VP of Administration and an IU senior, said.

Several states have already enacted legislature that provides access to higher education for undocumented youth, according to the resolution.  

The resolution was co-sponsored by the student government of the

University of Michigan, which has already adopted the resolution as university policy, Student Body President Jose Mitjavila said.

To qualify, IU senior Mitjavila said, students would have to meet certain criteria. This tuition equality would not apply to international students who moved to the United States in the last year or two.

“What this is really for is targeting those kids who were brought here at a very young age and never become formal citizens of the US, but they’ve lived their whole lives here and, for all intents and purposes, are citizens of the state,” Mitjavila said.

He said this resolution would apply to students who have lived in the state for at least four years, obtained a high school diploma or GED and can provide proof of state residency.

Although the resolution is simply a declaration of the ABTS’s views, both Mitjavila and Kauffman said it was important for future lawmakers and policy makers to know that students support this issue.

“We want to create this resolution, so if anyone is trying to tackle this issue, you can reference this resolution and say, student leaders are in support of tuition equality,” Mitjavila said.

The ABTS represents the voices of more than 500,000 students. It is comprised of all the executives in the Big Ten student governments.

The ABTS meets twice a year at conferences to discuss mutual concerns and collaborate with counterparts from other schools.

“My biggest takeaway was the acknowledgement and knowing that student governments across the conference are facing similar challenges, and that there are innovative solutions to address some of those challenges,” Kauffman said.

This was the first time all 14 schools had the opportunity to collaborate in the same room at the same time.

“When we look at schools that are traditionally sports rivals, it’s nice to know that in the context of student government and higher education that they can be potential collaborators and colleagues in the future,” Kauffman said.

Follow reporter Dani Castonzo on Twitter @Dani_Castonzo.