Students, legislators talk internships and tuition at state Capitol

The 10th annual Legislative Conference, sponsored by the Arizona Students' Association, introduced about 130 students from the three state universities and branch campuses to about 50 state legislators, said Regan Larish, ASA public affairs director.

"We had a great turnout of legislators at the lunch. There were even legislators out there who aren't historically avid supporters of higher education," said Berry Melfy, ASA's director for the University of Arizona.

Deidre Ghomrawi, public administration sophomore, said Sen. Victor Soltero, D-South Tucson, encouraged a group of students to apply for internships in state government.

Eric Gartman, political science senior, said the legislators were very accessible. He said he learned that if you want to affect change, the legislators are there for you.

Students also attended workshops that explained how tuition is set and how students can play a role in the procedure.

Tesa Nickles, psychology junior, said she attended the conference because she wanted lower tuition.

"Now I see why we need to raise it," she said.

The Legislature is releasing the state budget on Tuesday, which will include the amount of money going to the state university system, Melfy said.

Melfy said it was good for the legislators to see student faces at the luncheon and at the Capitol during its budget discussion.

"Hopefully it will have give more impact to the student voice," she said.

Melfy said in a workshop on tuition setting that it is rare for the Legislature to meet all the needs of the universities when it announces the state budget in March.

The Arizona Board of Regents, which sets tuition, must compensate for the difference by increasing tuition or decreasing the funding of university programs, she said in the workshop.

Frank Besnette, executive director for the regents, conducted a workshop about the board. He said the board agonizes over the decision to increase tuition.

Besnette said the board sets policy, approves strategic plans and evaluates results for the state university system.

Gartman said before he attended the regents workshop he only knew its function was related to tuition.