The UndocuScholars Project at UCLA has published a new research brief in their Policy and Research Brief Series titled “Physical Space and Expert Staffing: Undocumented Student Resource Centers at Community Colleges.” The authors of the brief, Rachel Freeman-Wong, Trisha Mazumder, and Jesus Cisneros, discuss the important role of Undocumented Student Resource Centers (USRCs) at community colleges in supporting undocumented students. They mapped all of the resource centers across the country, so you can see which colleges have a resource center.

They also discussed three important benefits of centers. First, USRCs functioned as a visible symbol of support and “one-stop shop” where undocumented students could access resources and a sense of community. The center’s staff members, who often identified as undocumented themselves, played a key role in supporting and mentoring students. Second, USRCs offered advice specific to undocumented community college students, such as guidance with their transfer applications to four-year universities. Finally, the brief discusses how students ran some of the centers, and how some centers found ways to employ undocumented students who do not have DACA to work for the center.

While they found USRCs had important benefits for students, they also found that USRCs were often supported by part-time staff and funded by short-term grants, highlighting the need for institutions and policymakers to do more to support USRCs at community college.

Check out the brief here!

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Categories: Research

Tags: higher ed, Immigration, Research, undocumented