Thursday September 6, 2001

Order from Hull to cut UA budget may make fight against increases harder

A 4 percent cut in spending ordered yesterday to all government agencies by Gov. Jane Dee Hull may potentially result in tuition increases for UA students.

ASUA senators were briefed on the issue and its possible effects on the university budget by ASA members last night.

Jenny Rimsza, Arizona Students' Association co-director, addressed the senate and warned that the recommended cuts may make ASA's fight against tuition increases more difficult than previously expected.

"I think (cuts in the budget) will be in the back of the regents and the universities' presidents' minds when they are thinking about tuition and the direction they want to go with increases," Rimsza said.

Despite the proposal by the governor, Rimsza said ASA will continue fighting for the most minimal tuition increases possible.

In the past, ASA has suggested an increase based on inflation plus 1 percent, but Rimsza said Arizona Board of Regents has seen that formula as unrealistic.

The proposed cuts come in the wake of substantial shortfalls in the state budget due to a nationwide economic slowdown.

Tiffany Podbielski, also an ASA co-director, said the state is $200 million short in projected tax revenue.

The governors' Web page addresses this issue, in addition to other factors such as increased job growth in government agencies and changes in state income tax policy.

Rimsza and Podbielski said they will be working with Arizona State University and North Arizona University through ASA to lobby for a low increase next year.

"We have been meeting with (ABOR) and the governor since the beginning of the summer and talking about possible tuition increases," Podbielski said.

Rimsza pointed to last year's increase - $140 for in-state students and $550 for out-of state students - which was substantially higher than anticipated, and said ASA had hoped for a lesser increase this year.

"We don't know yet what we're shooting for," she said. "We'll have to wait and see what the effect of the proposal is."

Hull plans to meet with state legislators at a special session in November to work on budget reductions.

In the meantime, ASA will continue lobbying against a tuition increase.

"We hope that the universities and the Arizona Board of Regents recognize that because the economy is slowing down, students do not have the money to pay for higher tuition," Rimsza said.