Many Arizona university students may find themselves paying more to go to school should a minimum tuition bill, HB 2675 sponsored by Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, become law.
The bill stipulates state university students must pay $2,000 unless they have a full-ride scholarship based on athletics or academics, thus eliminating need-based full-ride scholarships and limiting other scholarships of this nature that are affiliated with the university.
"A student may not use any other source of public or private funding including grants, gifts, scholarships or tuition benefits or other types of funding administered by or through a university or an affiliate of the university," the legislation reads.
Students may still use outside scholarships, Pell Grants, student loans and other non-university related funding to make up that difference though.
"The university cannot transfer internal funds to get you below $2,000 unless it is an athletic or academic full-ride (scholarship)," Kavanagh said.
The phrase "affiliate of a university" made it into the bill to target the ASU Foundation. "We don't want them laundering the money," he said.
Despite these limitations, the universities would still be allowed to offer merit-based scholarships.
This bill comes at a time when students are taking on more and more debt to attend college.
According to a report released by the Arizona Board of Regents in December, students took on more debt during the 2010-11 school year than the year prior.
Undergraduate student debt increased $1,212, or 6.1 percent. The average total amount of debt increased from $19,946 to $21,158. Graduate student debt also rose. It increased by $2,821, or 6.7 percent over the same time frame. Total debt rose from $42,097 to $44,918.
The size of loans is not the only thing that increased; higher numbers of students resorted to loans as well. There was a 2.9 percent increase among undergraduates and a 4.7 percent increase among graduate students.
"I don't see why these (college graduates) who are going to earn so much more (than high school graduates) can't take out loans for $2,000. It's a small fraction of the cost of their education. Graduating with an $8,000 loan is not the end of the world," Kavanagh said.
Rep. Anna Tovar, D-Tolleson, begs to differ though. She maintains that students shouldn't be forced to resort to loans for their education.
"I think the ultimate goal for a student is to graduate with the least amount of debt as possible... Eight thousand dollars of debt to me is a very high amount of debt to be coming out as a brand-new, graduating student when the other alternative is coming out with zero debt," she said.
Kavanagh said the exception for academics and athletes was decided because those groups earned it and also contribute to the university.
"Academic scholars earned the free tuition and by raising the intellectual level of the university, they create greater value for everybody. Athletic scholars have also earned it because they contribute to school spirit, and those on football and basketball teams also generate a lot of extra revenue," Kavanagh said.
These possible restrictions on need-based scholarships come at a time when there is a growing need for them.
The number of undergraduates receiving financial aid over the last five years has increased by over 16,500, or over 65 percent. Growth for financial-aid need among minorities outstripped this, growing by 71.5 percent.
"We definitely need a workforce for the 21st century, and that's going to come by having well-trained, young individuals who have a degree. I feel that this is prohibiting, actually creating a hurdle for our students to attain that dream of graduating college, or even attending college," Tovar said.
The bill came about as a result of a testimony in front of the House Appropriations Committee last year. Lawmakers were told that 48 percent of ASU in-state undergraduates do not pay any tuition whatsoever.
"This is not right. Our taxpayers shouldn't be paying toward free tuition in these difficult times. When students are paying nothing many don't take the classes as seriously, and we have also created a perverse incentive for students who may not be academically prepared for universities," Kavanagh said.
Sen. David Schapira, D-Tempe, sees this minimum tuition as a problem rather than a solution though.
"This is an awful idea... It is basically setting up another barrier for people with a lower socio-economic status. We need to be headed in the direction of providing more education access, more educational opportunity," Schapira said.
IceCat posted at 6:02 pm on Fri, Jan 27, 2012.
Another stupid bill by the Republicans. $11,000 per year tuition at a Arizona state school, I would venture to say most students graduate with serious debt as the article states, much more than the $8000 figure Kavanaugh uses.
asuaguila posted at 6:26 pm on Fri, Jan 27, 2012.
More hypocrisy from Republicans in Arizona. So much for less government. His arguments are such a croc. In-state students and their families pay taxes. And what about the 52% that due pay tuition? The current group of Republican presidential candidates are all arguing that lowering taxes is better for the economy because Americans will spend more and companies will hire more people. Thus students with college degrees will pay more taxes based on their higher salaries. Thus, we should help them obtain these degrees not hinder them.
Heywood_Jablome posted at 6:39 pm on Fri, Jan 27, 2012.
That's ok, Obama is budies with the pointy head LIEberal elites in academia. He'll just up the amount of Pell Grants available! That's how it works with LIEberals folks!
anotherAZguy posted at 7:57 pm on Fri, Jan 27, 2012.
Check out my plan which advocates restructuring the Arizona University System to provide greater accessibility, affordability, and accountability to a public university education for many more Arizonans while breaking-up the ASU monopoly within Greater Phoenix.
It does this by merging the ASU West & Polytechnic campuses into an independent, "medium-cost" & moderate research state university that is then housed at the Polytechnic campus location while transforming the West campus into an independent, "low-cost" & non-research state university.
Click on (or copy and paste) the link below to view my website for the details of my strategic plan:
http://PSUandAzTech.blogspot.com
davidflucier posted at 8:41 pm on Fri, Jan 27, 2012.
This is just about as idiotic a scheme as guns on campuses. This is nothing but a TAX...a $2,000 per year tax. Republicans are now justifying raising taxes on college students. Can the "wrong" kind of church be next?...don't like that pastor...pass a bill taxing that church, don't like kids...throw them off healthcare and cut their educational budgets...don't like the sick and the dying...toss them under the no healthcare for you bus. $2,000 a year in a new tax on students is as far away from the Arizona Constitutional directive of making higher education as nearly free as possible. Cut taxes on corporations and the wealthy so you dry up the revenue stream and then tax the students to make up the deficit. How "fiscally responsible" is this? And now we are witnessing the effects of moral bankruptcy and the ultimate in fiscal irresponsibility.
asuaguila posted at 9:20 pm on Fri, Jan 27, 2012.
The only thing dumber than HB 2675 would be trying to combine West and Poly campuses. Hey moron the faculty and administration are not slaves tied to a plantation. They would all go to Tempe or leave for other research universities.
DAZ posted at 10:30 pm on Fri, Jan 27, 2012.
This is so blatantly discriminatory. There are no words to describe how nasty this is. People who have put their name on this need to be voted out of office. If the legislature is stupid enough to pass this... more taxpayers dollars in the toilet for the lawsuits it will surely generate.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 11:49 pm on Fri, Jan 27, 2012.
Why should the hard-working Arizona Tax Payer pay to send somebody else's sons or daughters to College or University. The hard-working Arizona Tax Payer doesn't pay my rent, my food, my dental and vision bills......WHY SHOULD THEY PAY FOR A FREE COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY DEGREE JUST BECAUSE SOME ONE IS ........POOR.
DO WE LIVE IN CUBA....VENENZUELA....RUSSIA....COMMUNIST CHINA ???
WHEN DID AMERICA BECOME A SOCIALIST/COMMUNIST COUNTRY WHERE EVERY BODY EARNS THE SAME SALARY AND GET EXACTLY THE SAME BENEFITS.
LIBS, SOCIALIST, PROGRESSIVES, DEMOCRATS, ANARCHISTS, AND COMMUNISTS.............AMERICA IS A CAPITALIST COUNTRY !!!
anotherAZguy posted at 10:46 am on Sat, Jan 28, 2012.
Hay asuaguila, it is YOU who is the moron. The combined West & Poly university would still be a research university.
Mike McClellan posted at 2:06 pm on Sat, Jan 28, 2012.
Guess what, LEON, most of the kids who attend our community colleges and universities are from Arizona. Which means either they and/or their parents are "the hard-working Arizona Tax Payers" too. What a stupid, stupid argument you make.
When our younger daughter graduated from the U of A five years ago, we paid $5,000 for her senior year tuition; our son will be a freshman there next year -- tuition is more than $9,000, an almost 100% increase in cost over the last five years.
LEON, can you think of any other product like that that has doubled in cost? I bought a new truck in 2009, and it cost me only $4,000 more than that same new truck in 1993.
Now, to Kavanaugh's bill: I love the exemption for athletes. They bring school spirit and generate revenue, according to Kavanaugh.
Well, two sports do, football and men's basketball (though ASU's bball team doesn't right now).
Let's see, that's about 100 of the almost 500 student athletes at ASU, U of A, or NAU. The rest of those athletes don't generate sufficient income to pay for their programs.
Using Kavanaugh's "logic," the rest of those athletes should be charged the $2,000 also.
What a joke Kavanaugh is -- he's one of the major reasons tuition has risen so quickly (he and his buddies have consistently cut high ed funding over the last 5 years) and now he wants to stick it to kids even more.
This is just another example of the anti-education stream running through the Republican Party. And their startling idiocy is on display every day at the legislature, whether it's the latest Birther Bill or the Appropriations Chairman who won't take public comment on our budget (the one WE PAY FOR, LEON!) because"I heard it last year."
If you're a Republican in this state, you ought to hold your head in shame. ESPECIALLY WHEN UNFORTUNATELY FOLKS LIKE LEON TEND TO PERSONIFY YOUR PARTY'S THINKING IN THIS STATE!
mwmike posted at 5:33 pm on Sat, Jan 28, 2012.
Everyone benefits from an educated society. Tea party and country club Republicans would rather give our tax dollars to corrupt millionaires, billionaires, and corporations than invest in our future. They know an educated society is not in their best interest.
DAZ posted at 7:38 pm on Sat, Jan 28, 2012.
I worked hard; I have paid taxes all my adult life. I see no reason to penalize low income students trying to better themselves (and pay more taxes as adults). False economy.
davidflucier posted at 11:15 am on Sun, Jan 29, 2012.
STOP THE TAX NOW! This new, direct, tax on Arizona's residents and students is irresponsible on the face of it and is totally counter to trying to build a 21st century economy based upon an educated workforce.
When our legislators signed the pledge for no new taxes, I don't think it excluded a $2,000 ANNUAL TAX on Arizona residents and students on their higher educational aspirations.
ghasynchroduck posted at 8:13 pm on Mon, Jan 30, 2012.
I don't have an academic or athletic scholarship, but I've contributed a great deal to my university and community.
I started an academic club on campus which promotes equal opportunities in a male dominated field. I also helped to organize free tutoring for middle and high school students at a local library, spoke at schools and high school career fairs about the importance of continuing education in math and considering mathematics as a career, as well as fund-raised for important math education events, not to mention many, many other things.
According to this moron I guess I'm not valuable to my academic community because I haven't been awarded a scholarship based on athletic skills or academics. If he thinks it's only a total of $8,000 perhaps he needs a refresher on compound interest and learn a little more about the negative economic effects of a nation in deep debt.
ghasynchroduck posted at 8:24 pm on Mon, Jan 30, 2012.
Complaining on here won't do a thing here is how to contact your representative!
http://www.azleg.gov/alisStaticPages/HowToContactMember.asp
rouse2 posted at 6:41 pm on Fri, Feb 3, 2012.
i am a conservative republican. i don't know what this clown is. he needs to be gone. if the republicans are smart they will take him out in a primary. if not, i will make the trip from the '18' to help the democrat. first time in my life, but this jerk is totally anti human.
AjaxMan posted at 12:24 pm on Mon, Feb 13, 2012.
I would like to ask the whiners here, why did you not speak up each time that universities raised tuition over the past ten years? Especially given that, universities justified tuition increases to increase financial aid for needy students.
You will see me working often as a cashier at a local grocery store, paying my way through college. Why are 48% of my fellow students (almost all of adult age) at ASU unable to work even a few hours per week to pay something toward their education? Why do I have to work additional hours each year to fund their "entitlements"? Let's be honest here, those whiners believe that some segments of our adult population "deserve" a free ride, while others will just have to work harder to pay for the others (free loaders).
We are all adults; we all agree that a university education is valuable, so why do nearly half deserve something for nothing?
Perhaps it is no coincidence that there are 48% of ASU students paying no tuition, when 49% of Americans pay no Federal Income Tax. I happen to fall into the 51% who do, even though I am a student.
Thank you Rep Kavanagh for demanding some accountability from the 48%, it might mean that I won't have to work more hours next year to pay for their, AND my education.
roi posted at 10:04 pm on Mon, Feb 20, 2012.
DONT even go "there" with me, I am only asking for infomation, hoe does this bill affect illegal immagrents in th school system? Te they have to pauy the same. I jast want all the faacts. Thanks