JUICE ON ICE

Arizona Students!

HB 2675 is a bill being proposed in the state legislature which will establish a $2,000 minimum student contribution per year to be paid before any state financial aid can be applied through the university or a university-affiliate. The only exceptions proposed will be for student athletes on a full ride, and the top 5% by academic class ranking. Anyone not in these groups will have to come up with $2,000 before they can access merit-based or additional need-based state financial aid.

The bill’s intention is to increase revenue to the state. Its effects are more likely to discourage already debt-saddled, low-income students from attending, and encourage all students to go elsewhere (in a state with dwindling economic draw as is).

Beyond its likely effects, it’s setting a price in contradiction to Arizona’s constitution which establishes that “State educational institutions shall be open to the students of both sexes, and the instruction furnished shall be as nearly free as possible.” In previous court cases (most recently Kromko v. Arizona Board of Regents 2006) the Arizona Supreme Court has ruled that the definition of “as nearly free as possible” was beyond their authority to define, which has since left it open to the state legislature to decide.

So! To challenge this bill politically, would require organizing pressure on legislators in the house now, or as nearly now as possible. Hopefully to stop the kinds of student contribution thresholds that negate financial aid.

Here is a link to the actual language of the bill and a list of its supporters:

http://www.azleg.gov//FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=%2Flegtext%2F50leg%2F2r%2Fbills%2Fhb2675p.htm&Session_ID=107

And a link to the only news article I’ve seen so far: 

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/local/article_adde3104-4944-11e1-868d-001871e3ce6c.html

[As a side note: During the last round of tuition hikes at the regent-level we got ASU admins to hold talks with us and release statements condemning the increases (after 30 students took over President Crow’s floor) but it seems like pressure needs to be at the capitol and I’m not sure you can depend on support from the school administrations this time anyway.]