UA News

School presidents, students voiced their views on the controversial mid-year assessment that regents will consider at next week's meeting.

The Arizona Board of Regents hosted its second tuition hearing of the academic year Monday night, hearing from students across the state that while they understand the universities' budget predicaments, they want to avoid the fee.

Attendance at eight sites linked into a videoconference was light, with about 40 students attending the UA main campus hearing site, in the Student Union South Ballroom. Testimony from students at Arizona State University's four Valley campuses, Northern Arizona University's Flagstaff and Yuma campuses and UA South in Sierra Vista were visible by video link provided by Arizona Public Media.

Those who spoke all agreed that the current economic crunch has hobbled the three universities, and many were critical of the Legislature for cutting the universities so deeply. Still, their message was that a surcharge to be levied this fall would be an ill-timed burden.

The UA is requesting an annual $1,100 per student surcharge. ASU is asking for $1,200 and NAU for $350. Regents will consider these at their scheduled meeting at the UA in Tucson next week.

UA President Robert Shelton, ASU President Michael Crow and NAU President Robert Haeger led off the hearing by each making the case for the surcharge. Shelton said the fee would bring in an additional $27 million lost to state budget cuts. He said the fee amounted to less than what was lost to budget cuts, but could be lifted when and if state funding is restored to FY 2008 levels.

ASUA President Tommy Bruce proposed that regents wait at least eight months to assess any new charges until Arizona's economic picture becomes clearer and students have a chance to plan their budgets accordingly. "At the end of the day we need to find a balance," Bruce said. "This is not an easy time for anybody."

Several students echoed Bruce. ASUA Senator Brian Barker said he "knows the reality of the current economy." Barker said he already has two jobs. Political science student Kelsey LoDuca said she has a 30-hour-per-week job and would need to take a second job to pay for the increase.
The Graduate and Professional Student Council issued a statement supporting President Shelton's surcharge proposal, but only "in lieu of new or increased fees." The memo said GSPC the current economy has created hardships throughout the university, but recognizes that providing a quality education requires an increase in costs.

Graduate associates and assistants in teaching and research receive a tuition waiver at the UA, but pay all other enrollment fees. The waiver policy would cover the proposed surcharge, but not an increase in fees.

GSPC asked the regents to set clear guidelines limiting the size of surcharges and allocate them toward areas critical to the mission of the universities, including library and technology related to research and teaching. They also asked regents to require a regular review process for surcharges, including a time frame for their elimination.

Regents President Fred Boice said next week's meeting would not offer an opportunity for public comment on the topic of tuition surcharges, but said written comments could be sent to ABOR in advance.

Letters should be sent to the Arizona Board of Regents, 2020 N. Central Ave., Suite 230, Phoenix, AZ 85004. They could also be emailed via the ABOR Web site at www.azregents.edu.