Virginia Rising

You’re not alone, and some Virginia legislators are trying to help

Posted by: brad – Jan 22, 2015

“In high school I told my counselor I was undocumented and I remember he told me ‘students like you don’t go to college,’” said Giancarla Rojas in a meeting to help fight the student debt crisis many face here in Virginia.

Rojas (top image) stood in the Commonwealth Park Suites Hotel across the street from the state capitol. She and about 35 other students and activists had gathered to tell their student-debt stories in the hopes of swaying lawmakers this General Assembly session.

Rojas continued to tell her story, about how she was determined to go to university, even without the hope of financial aid.

“I [told my counselor] ‘if students like me don’t go to college then I’m going to be the first one to go to college,’” she said.

In 2012, President Obama granted temporary status to immigrants when he passed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Rojas applied to over 70 scholarships and worked 40 hours a week, but she managed to pay for community college.

She paid about $10,000 a year to attend community college because undocumented immigrants cannot receive in-state tuition.

“We have to pressure our representatives, our senators to keep funding these resources so it can be more accessible,” Rojas said.

Student debt is quickly becoming a national issue, and has been for many for some time.

“In 2012, 71% of all students graduating from four-year colleges had student loan debt,” reads a breakdown of the problem from ProjectonStudentDebt.org “That represents 1.3 million students graduating with debt, up from
1.1 million in 2008 and 0.9 million in 2004.”

Even those who receive funds through government-assisted programs like Pell Grants, are extraordinarily burdened by the costs of a modern 4-year education.

“Among graduating seniors who ever received a Pell Grant, 88% had student loans in 2012, with an average of $31,200 per borrower,” states ProjectonStudentDebt.org. “In contrast, 53% of those who never received a Pell Grant had debt, with an average of $26,450 per borrower — $4,750 less than the average debt for Pell recipients with debt.”

But there are groups out there hoping to combat the rising cost of education.

The Virginia Student Power Network (VSPN) led Rojas and the others through a series of events including an education committee meeting, lobbying with their delegates and holding a forum to discuss upcoming education bills.

Del. Rob Krupicka (D-Alexandria) also attended the VSPN meeting. He was explaining House Bill 877, a measure he introduced this session which would help fund students’ education.

Del. Krupicka spoke to gathered students about his bill and the importance of funding student’s education.

“We’re trying to recognize, around the commonwealth, that the more students who have access to financial aid and the ability to graduate, the better off the entire commonwealth’s economy is,” said Krupicka.

Krupicka said the state’s lack of attention to student education and our universities has resulted in higher tuition and greater student debt.

“We’re essentially asking higher ed to raise taxes that we’re not willing to raise as legislators,” said Krupicka. “Whenever we ask colleges and universities to take more budget hits, we’re just asking them to raise tuition.”

House Bill 1897 also has the support of VSPN. Del. Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) introduced this bill to cap athletic fees at college universities. This would prevent students, especially those who are not participating in intercollegiate sports, from shouldering the burden of athletic fees in their own tuition.

Greg Lewis, a member of VSPN said they are against any bills this session that threaten access to education for immigrants or any other students.

“We really strongly believe in defending the dream and making sure that every student who wants an education will get an education,” Lewis said.

Ultimately, the VSPN would like education to be free for any student.

“I believe in free education. That is something that we need in this country and it’s something that we’re going to continue to mobilize for,” Lewis said.

Words and Photos by Victoria Zawitkowski