SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Sept. 28, 2023) – Immigrants Rising Director of Higher Education Nancy Jodaitis will join the Equity Avengers as their featured guest on #EquityChat, a weekly conversation held on the X platform (formerly known as Twitter), on Wednesday, October 4, 2023. She will be talking about Immigrants Rising’s work in publishing the report “Championing Equity: Systemwide AB 540 FAQ.”
AB 540, adopted by California in 2001, allows eligible students, including undocumented individuals, to be exempted from nonresident tuition and access state-based financial aid. Yet thousands of eager students who want to pursue higher education have been unable to achieve their academic and career goals due to confusion over the requirements, lack of accurate information and uneven implementation of in-state tuition at California colleges and universities.
The goal of the the report is to increase alignment in the implementation of AB 540 and streamline the processing between the California Community Colleges, California State University and University of California systems, as well as at individual campuses.
“Despite more than 20 years since AB 540’s adoption, inequities remain in access and affordability to higher education, particularly for undocumented students,” said Equity Avenger and San Diego Mesa College President Emerita, Dr. Pamela Luster. “We are honored to highlight Immigrants Rising’s critical work in demystifying this legislation while holding institutions to account so that our students aren’t left behind.”
Jodaitis has been building educational pathways for undocumented students throughout California for the last fifteen years. Her current work centers on developing systemic solutions to expand equitable implementation of AB 540, increasing award rates of the California Dream Act, and elevating promising practices that increase access, retention, and success for undocumented students at California colleges and universities.
#EquityChat is held weekly on Wednesday evenings from 5 – 6 p.m. on the X platform from September through June. Follow the Equity Avengers on Twitter @EquityAvengers or LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/equity-
To learn more about the Equity Avengers, visit equityavengers.com.
Media Contact:
Lauren McDermott
(415) 933-9975
About the Equity Avengers
The Equity Avengers are community college presidents, Dr. Keith Curry of Compton College, Dr. Tammeil Gilkerson of Evergreen Valley College, and President Emerita Dr. Pamela Luster of San Diego Mesa College. The Equity Avengers have made it their mission to lead the charge for a more equitable higher education landscape, increasing access for those historically marginalized by academia.
The Equity Avengers host the popular #EquityChat on Wednesday evenings on Twitter and are regularly invited to speak at state and national conferences to share their vision. The College Futures Foundation has generously supported the Equity Avengers’ mission through a grant, allowing them to support and develop leaders who act and drive large-scale change toward achieving racial equity in higher education nationwide.