WHEREAS, More than 17,000 international students are enrolled in the California Community College system across campuses statewide [1], making up a large and vital part of the California Community College system;
WHEREAS, Per federal policy, International students are required to enroll in at least 12 credits of courses each semester to maintain their student immigration eligibility, with only 3 credits of online courses being counting towards that 12 credit minimum, meaning that students must take at least 9 credits of in person classes for students with F-1 visas and no online courses counting towards students’ M-1 visa requirements [2];
WHEREAS, Since 2020, the number of online courses has increased dramatically, having more than half of all California community college students being enrolled in at least one online course [3]; and
WHEREAS, Online courses are a primary motivator for California community college students, where over half of students rely on these courses [4], motivating student success and enrollment [5], but current visa restrictions limit international students’ ability to access online classes, limiting international students’ progress towards degree completion; Now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for international student rights when it comes to their ability to take relevant courses, including online courses, by making it a legislative priority in the 2026-2027 legislative cycle;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges work with the Chancellor's Office to include online courses in international students' course requirements to ensure equitable access to degree completion; and
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for the introduction of a bill to modify the F-1 and M-1 visas to allow for online courses to count towards the credit requirements.
Citations:
[1]https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/docs/vision2030/internation…;
[2]https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-214/su…
[3]https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/docs/report/sb117-comprehen…
[4]https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/docs/report/2023-distance-e…
[5]https://www.ppic.org/blog/after-covid-community-colleges-must-focus-on-…