WHEREAS, First-Generation Dependent Students (F1D Students) are California Community College students who are the first in their families to attend college and are classified as financially dependent for financial aid purposes while being financially dependent on one or more undocumented parents or guardians, comprising a distinct and unrecognized student population facing equity barriers within the California Community Colleges [1][2][3];
WHEREAS, F1D Students face systemic barriers not addressed by any existing statewide equity category, including but not limited to inability to obtain parental tax documentation, inability to complete standard FAFSA verification, fear of disclosing family immigration status, language and documentation barriers, financial responsibility for household survival, and institutional misunderstanding of mixed-status families, resulting in delayed or denied financial aid and reduced access to essential student services [2][4][5][6]; and
WHEREAS, The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) has not issued standardized guidance for serving students financially dependent on undocumented parents, leading to inconsistent practices across the 73 districts and 116 colleges, and the absence of a statewide designation prevents colleges from allocating Student Equity and Achievement (SEA) funds, collecting meaningful data, or integrating targeted supports for F1D Students into Guided Pathways and equity frameworks [7][8][9]; and
WHEREAS, Establishing a protected statewide equity designation and implementation framework for F1D Students fills a critical policy gap, aligns with California’s commitment to educational equity, and supports student populations that disproportionately identify as first-generation, low-income, and from historically marginalized communities, while enabling systemwide coordination, confidentiality protections, and long-term academic success [1][3][10]; Now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges formally recognize First-Generation Dependent Students (F1D Students) as a distinct statewide equity population within the California Community Colleges, acknowledging the unique financial, administrative, and systemic barriers faced by students who are financially dependent on undocumented parents or guardians [7][10];
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges urge and seek collaboration with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) and relevant system partners to develop and adopt a Statewide Framework for F1D Equity and Protection, including confidential advising protocols, alternative documentation and non-tax-based verification pathways for financial aid, multilingual and culturally competent resources, and training guidance for financial aid, counseling, and student services staff [4][6][8][11];
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for each of the 116 California Community Colleges to designate a trained F1D Student Support Lead or equivalent point of contact responsible for coordinating services, ensuring confidentiality for mixed-status families, providing targeted student support, and facilitating institutional alignment, and further urge colleges to adopt safe campus access practices—including clear, written procedures that limit immigration enforcement access to nonpublic campus areas without appropriate legal documentation, route any inquiries to a designated administrator, and protect confidentiality—consistent with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Safe Campus and Undocumented Student Guidance [12] to ensure they may safely interact with student services without fear of immigration-related repercussions [5][9][12]; and
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges commit to systemwide and legislative advocacy by working with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), and state policymakers to pursue statutory, regulatory, or administrative solutions—including a Financial Independence or Hardship Pathway—that allow F1D Students to qualify for independent status or simplified verification without parental tax documentation, support the inclusion of F1D Students in SEA Plans, Guided Pathways frameworks, and student equity reporting to enable allocation of targeted funding, and create and distribute a Statewide F1D Student Equity Toolkit containing model campus policies, implementation guidance, staff training materials, and recommended practices to support consistent statewide adoption and future expansion [7][8][9][11][13].
Citations:
[1] Astin, Alexander W. What Matters in College? Four Critical Years Revisited. Jossey-Bass, 1993.
[2] The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice. #RealCollege Survey: California Community Colleges, 2016–2018.
[3] Tinto, Vincent. Leaving College: Rethinking the Causes and Cures of Student Attrition. University of Chicago Press, 1993.
[4] Goldrick-Rab, Sara. Paying the Price: College Costs, Financial Aid, and the Betrayal of the American Dream. University of Chicago Press, 2016.
[5] New America. Undocumented Students and Mixed-Status Families in Higher Education. New America, 2023.
[6] Center for Community College Student Engagement. The Intersection of Work, Poverty, and Student Success. CCCSE, 2019.
[7] Student Senate for California Community Colleges. Student Stipend Resolution. SSCCC Resolutions Archive, Fall 2007.
[8] Student Senate for California Community Colleges. Resolution S24.03.19: SSCCC Stipend Reform. SSCCC Resolutions, Spring 2024.
[9] Student Senate for California Community Colleges. Resolution S25.24.37: Ensuring Student Trustee Rights and Equitable Pay. SSCCC Resolutions, Spring 2025.
[10] Kuh, George D. High-Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter. Association of American Colleges and Universities, 2008.
[11] California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. Student Equity and Achievement Program Guidance.
[12] California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. Safe Campus and Undocumented Student Guidance.
[13] California Student Aid Commission. Dependency Status and Financial Aid Verification Policies.