July 09, 2020
Christina Jimenez
cjimenez@cccco.edu
T 916.322.4004
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley issued the following statement on the California Attorney General’s lawsuit seeking to turn back a recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement directive severely limiting the ability of international students to attend colleges:
“With this lawsuit, California is standing up for the nearly 22,000 international students who attend our community colleges and standing up for our right to continue teaching and learning in a safe and responsible way during the pandemic. We will not sacrifice the benefit of the diversity of experiences and perspectives that international students bring to our colleges, nor will we sacrifice the safety of any student, faculty or staff member at our 115 colleges. State and local officials are in the best position to determine reopening approaches based on public health conditions. Attorney General Becerra’s lawsuit seeks to quickly turn back this punitive federal directive.”
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 115 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; degree and certificate pathways; and basic skills education in English and math. As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges supports the Vision for Success, a strategic plan designed to improve student success outcomes, increase transfer rates and eliminate achievement gaps. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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