Officials call proposal 'unfair' if realized

PHOENIX - If the Legislature decides to use tuition money to lessen the state budget deficit, university officials say the damage to the UA and other state universities could be staggering.

Under a new proposal from the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, half the revenue generated by tuition would be used for state programs, instead of being returned to the universities. Normally, universities receive all tuition money.

The proposal comes in the midst of a state budget shortfall that could amount to $1 billion in 2003. Arizona universities have already sustained a 4.56 percent cut in this year's budget and are facing additional cuts next year.

The possibility of tuition money being taken away strikes Gary Stuart, the Arizona Board of Regents secretary, as unreasonable, but also unlikely.

"It would be as harmful and fundamentally unfair as anything to hit universities in years," Stuart said.

"But I don't think it's going to happen. This is a flawed fiscal policy · and deceptive."

Stuart said students should have a voice in how their tuition dollars are spent.

"If a students wants to walk to the Bursar's office to pay for his tuition and says, 'here is my $2,300, and if you want to take $609 for a hospital in Winslow, that is perfectly allright with me,' then I support that."

Greg Fahey, associate vice president for government relations, said passage of the policy would be unprecedented, and would likely lead to opposition from the university community.

"I can't think of a time this has happened before," Fahey said. "It would have negative consequences for the future. Plus, it would lead to a lot of opposition. Students will feel like their tuition dollars are being taken away from them."

UA officials also point to Jan. 14, when Gov. Jane Hull promised to keep university tuition as low as possible.

"The budget should be balanced without crippling our universities, community colleges and state agencies," she said in her State of the State address earlier.

Yet, when Hull called for an emergency legislative session in November to slice more than $600 million from Arizona's budget, the University of Arizona suffered $16 million in cuts.

Fahey said he fears the new proposal to divert tuition dollars could lead to more tuition increases.

Today, the legislative appropriations committee is expected to discuss future funding for universities.

"We may ask the universities to increase tuition so tuition is paid by a larger percentage instead of out of the general fund," said Republican Sen. Ken Bennett.

But, he said, "It will just be a small sliver."