The Student Government Association received an update on federal immigration compliance requirements affecting international students during its Feb. 13 meeting, where administrators outlined enrollment challenges tied to visa regulations.

Principal Designated School Official for International Student Affairs, Patrice Ballard, briefed SGA leaders on federal immigration concerns as they relate to international students.

Federal law requires international students to take 12 hours per semester, and only three of those credit hours can be online, Zoom or hybrid courses.

In the fall, as Alamo Colleges sought to increase enrollment in online courses, the number of in-person courses available to international students decreased.

“When we’re moving to all online or Zoom or hybrid, that’s a problem for this particular population of students,” Ballard said.
Ballard said she’s made the college and district aware of these limitations and is hopeful this issue is being addressed, but does not have an official update.

SAC had its first fall commencement in December and will continue offering a fall ceremony for graduates going forward. For Senior Coordinator for Graduation, Phillip Casarez, it will clear confusion on commencement eligibility.

Casarez said in the past, some students who participated in spring commencement ceremonies have then failed to complete all degree requirements through summer classes.

Adding a fall commencement ceremony allows students who don’t complete their degree requirements until the summer or fall to walk at a commencement ceremony.

“We’re trying to give an opportunity to everybody, and it really comes down to deadlines,” Casarez said.
Students who are eligible to participate in commencement will be notified via email, along with updates from faculty and staff going forward.

“One of my big concerns is that we have a lot of commuter students, a lot of students who work full time, and a lot of them don’t check their email regularly,” SGA President Mia Smith said. “They would not be aware of this update affecting their graduation, affecting their commencement, and I think we need to utilize faculty and staff to help ensure the message is spread around.”

More information regarding graduation and commencement can be found here.

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