Students can help change residency bill by contacting those is charge
In a public forum Wednesday, Rep. Loraine Pace spoke to 16 students about HB331, the bill that increases residency requirements for out-of-state students.
With students’ help, Pace said, “There is a very good chance of getting this changed in a positive way.”
In addition to current requirements, students will have to obtain 60 credits before achieving residency status. This increase has students and administration alike concerned for the future.
Tom Robins, a sophomore studying history, has been working to combat HB331. The bill will deter students from coming to Utah State University, which will decrease student diversity and “lower our competitive edge.” This affects all students, he said.
Pace said the Legislature has been working hard to make the right decisions.
“This session has been particularly difficult because of budget constraints,” she said.
State law requires the budget to be balanced, so “everyone’s budget got cut,” Pace said.
Education was the institution cut least. Because 50 to 60 percent of the budget is devoted to it, education is always the number one priority, she said.
It was a question of whether supplementing out-of-state students’ tuition with state income tax is justified, especially when Utah already has some of the most lenient requirements in the country, Pace said.
Gov. Michael Leavitt still signed the bill. However, he expressed concern for those students expecting residency this fall. A “soft transition” must be made, he said.
“We need to keep the trust of our community and our non-resident students,” Leavitt said. “We value the contributions they make to our institutions and our state.”
Pace said measures are being taken to add a grandfather clause to the bill to help make that “soft transition” and protect students already in the system.
Still there is concern over the high number of credits that will be required for residency. This is where USU students can make a difference, Pace said.
Students have already rallied at the Capitol.
“Utah State students involved in this lobbying effort have won the respect of many of my colleagues,” Pace said.
Rep. Jeff Alexander, who sponsored HB331, asked Pace, “Can you just call those kids off?” she said.
“I told Representative Alexander I would not call you off until we get this thing straightened out,” she said.
There is concern that the bill was drafted too rapidly and without the input of those it affects. Therefore, if students keep applying pressure, it might be possible to amend the requirement from 60 credits to 45, Pace said.
Majority leader Kevin Garn is in favor of the amendment, as are other influential figures.
Celestial Starr Bybee, president-elect for the Associated Students of Utah State University, said students should contact their legislators. Bybee said students should e-mail both Senate and House of Representative leaders to express their concern over the issue and their hope that it receives attention.
The Legislature will be holding a special session in April or May to discuss the bill. Students may attend the session and should watch for its date and time to be publicized, Bybee said. Information concerning legislators, their e-mail addresses or the sessions can be found at www.le.state.ut.us.
Pace said students should be as positive as they can when contacting legislators, although they may be inclined to vent.
“You just have to understand the kind of pressure we’re under down there,” she said.
Bybee said, “I will be our advocate. I am committed to stay here over the summer and keep the pressure on.”
The ASUSU leadership and USU administration are fighting hard for the students on this issue, Bybee said.
“It is important to all of us that students are treated fairly and that there is some compromise on this legislation,” she said.
Robins said if all students are willing to help contact as many legislators as possible, they might make a change.
“Don’t let this issue sit,” he said.
“We’ll make sure that it’s better than what we’ve got now,” Pace said. “I can almost guarantee that.”