Ga. colleges begin working to verify students' status

ATLANTA - Georgia's 35 colleges and universities are hurrying to carry out a mandate from their governing body and verify the citizenship status of nearly 316,000 students by mid-August.

Last week, the University System of Georgia ordered colleges in its system to verify that no illegal immigrants are paying in-state tuition or getting financial aid.

A spokeswoman for Kennesaw State University says officials will conduct residency verification on all students, but it's still deciding whether to use an outside verification system.

University of Georgia spokesman Tom Jackson says admissions officers already ask questions or request more information if an application raises concerns.
The regents appointed a committee to examine the most efficient ways to check citizenship to prevent undocumented students from getting in-state tuition.