Utah students unite over HB331
Utah State University students will join other Utah college students across the state at noon Wednesday in the State Capitol building with one goal: To urge Gov. Mike Leavitt to veto a new bill regarding nonresident tuition for higher education.
Associated Students of Utah State University President and Utah Student Association President Steve Palmer said, “This is something we’ve wanted to do since the bill was written.”
Concerns rose among students when an act modifying the State System of Higher Education Code, which amends the definition of resident students was passed. The bill, HB331 was passed at the end of the 2002 legislative session. The bill requires that non-resident students must have 60 credits from a Utah college or university before they can apply for residency status.
The House of Representatives sent the bill to Leavitt on Monday, and if passed the bill will be effective May 6.
Palmer, with the help of student body presidents at Utah universities, have compiled a press release outlining reasons to veto the bill. Palmer will then deliver the press release to Leavitt backed up by the students who join him.
Transportation will be provided at the University Inn and the turn around on the side of Mountain View Tower for students attending the rally. The vans will leave at 10 a.m.
Noah Watkins, an undeclared freshman, said he hopes the rally will “make a stand and show them [the legislature] this will affect a lot.”
Both Tom Robins, a sophomore majoring in history, and Matt Coulter, a freshman majoring in economic finance, along with ASUSU, led an information rally Tuesday on the Taggart Student Center patio.
Students passing by on the way to class were handed flyers about the rally at the capitol, encouraged to sign a petition to veto the bill and told who to e-mail with concerns. Students are encouraged to write the governor at governor@utah.gov.
As of 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Robins said they had about 1,000 signatures and planned on at least 500 more before the rally.
“This can do nothing but have a positive influence on the outcome,” Palmer said.
Palmer’s goal is to take at least 50 students to the capitol and it is expected there will be at least 20 to 30 students from other schools, he said.
One of the reasons Coulter wants the bill vetoed is “there are better schools out there for the same price.”
Students have also expressed concern for what the bill could do to campus life and the diversity that out-of-state and international students provide, Palmer said.
“We need the students’ support,” Palmer said.
On Thursday President Kermit L. Hall will meet with the governor to discuss the bill, said ASUSU vice president Celestial Starr Bybee.