Tears welled in the eyes of ASU, UA and NAU students as the Arizona House of Representatives Appropriations Committee passed House Bill 2675 by a 7-6 vote following a fiery debate Wednesday afternoon.
The bill, soon to enter the House for a vote, would require students from public Arizona universities, with the exemptions of students receiving athletic and national merit-based scholarships, to pay $2,000 out of pocket toward their tuition.
The debate became so heated that Rep. Matt Heinz, D-Tucson, formally asked supporters of the bill to reduce their “hostility” toward the student speakers, who he said were voicing their opposition respectfully.
Rep. Lela Alston, D-Phoenix, who voted in opposition to the legislation, said it “unfairly” targets need-based, lower middle-class students.
“I’m very sorry this bill has come before us today,” she said. “It disturbs me greatly ... these (need-based) students are labeled undeserving.”
One of the prime sponsors of HB 2675 Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, said he proposed the bill because he had read 48 percent of undergraduate ASU students paid nothing toward tuition in the 2009-10 academic year, which creates a burden for Arizona taxpayers.
“You have a situation where taxpayers are greatly subsidizing tuition,” Kavanagh said.
Christine Thompson, ABOR assistant vice president for government affairs, responded to Kavanagh and said the 48 percent number was 2 years old.
“Closer to 25 percent of students aren’t paying tuition,” Thompson said.
An amendment, introduced by Rep. Matt Heinz, D-Tucson, exempting honorably discharged and active duty service members failed.
“I’m a veteran and I don’t think I should get free university tuition,” Kavanagh said. “Some veterans are extremely wealthy adults.”
Arizona Student Association member and interdisciplinary studies sophomore Brendan Pantilione spoke in opposition. Pantilione identified herself to the committee as Brianna Pantilione but told The State Press she prefers Brendan.
She said she decided to forgo her original speech and improvise in order to address false claims some representatives had made.
“It terrifies me to hear the arguments that are being made,” Pantilione said. “I don’t believe they are being fully thought out.”
She said she receives the Pell Grant and works 40 hours a week to afford living expenses — a situation she knows many university students find themselves in as well.
“Working 40 hours a week (sacrifices) time and they are not receiving as high of quality of an education,” she said.
Pantilione said committee members were focusing solely on the cost of tuition and leaving living expenses, such as freshman requirements to live on campus and ASU’s “grossly expensive” meal plan, out of the cost of attending a university.
She said students who cannot afford the $2,000 will have to take out loans.
“Did we learn nothing from the mortgage bubble?” Pantilione asked. “We are leading Arizona toward a student-loan bubble.”
Executive Director for ASA Robyn Nebrich said the bill would do nothing except create more debt for students and nearly 60 percent of ASU students have accumulated loan debt.
“Student debt has increased dramatically,” Nebrich said. “Loan debt has outweighed credit card debt. For students, (60 percent) is really high.”
Campbell said students should have every available tool to succeed and HB 2675 is a tuition increase that would deter many students from pursuing a higher education.
“We have one of the lowest rates of financial aid in the country,” he said. “According to our state constitution, we should be providing a free, or as free as possible education. What problem are we trying to solve with this?”
Kavanagh said he would “bend over backwards” to make education affordable, but believed students should contribute to their education.
“We do not believe university education should be totally free,” he said.
Reach the reporter at kmmandev@asu.edu
Correction: An earlier version of the story misattributed a quote to Rep. Chad Campbell. The quote was said during the meeting by Rep. Lela Alston.
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