CLAIRE C. LAURENCE/Arizona Daily Wildcat Marketing senior Nick Green discusses tuition increases last week at the ASUA office in the Student Union Memorial Center.

Student lobbyists hold off on proposal

Student Body President J.P. Benedict reversed an earlier statement last week, saying that student lobbyists will not release a tuition proposal until mid-February.

At the beginning of the semester, Benedict said the tuition proposal would be released within weeks; but now he says the proposal will be released at the same time it was released last year.

Student lobbyists are doing research to find the best proposal for the students, Benedict said.

Even though their proposal will not be going out any earlier than last year, student lobbyists are ahead of the game, said Alistair Chapman, a student lobbyist.

"This year, we started research earlier with tuition surveys and student polls," he said. "We are ahead of the game."

The student lobbyists will be finishing up their research this week in order to begin tuition focus groups tomorrow. The focus groups will allow students to voice their opinions on tuition increases, and they will also give lobbyists the chance to educate the student body.

"We want to educate them as much as possible so that they can make their own choices," Benedict said.

Nick Green, a student lobbyist, said that he hopes to change the opinions of students who are initially opposed to any more tuition increases.

"A student's first reaction is no way, but without them the UA will fall apart and go bankrupt," he said.

According to data compiled by the regents, the UA needs to raise tuition this year by $500 in order for tuition to be around 34th in the country, President Peter Likins' goal.

Although they know the specific amount the UA needs to reach the top of the bottom one-third of college tuitions nationwide, student lobbyists said they are still waiting for more information before writing up a tuition proposal.

We want to educate them as much as possible so that they can make their own choices. - J.P. Benedict student body president

Chapman said that the lobbyists still do not know what Likins plans on doing.

"It's been said that the UA will eventually be top of the bottom one- third, and that's what they need for next year," Green said. "But we can't even say they would want all $500."

Green said they do not yet know if they will be supporting Likins' proposal.

"It depends on what it is," Green said. "Likins is in it for the students, but he also has a bunch of other people to please."

Student Regent Danelle Kelling said that students should make sure to take the time to draft what they think is the best proposal.

"My advice to ASUA is to do its homework and bring forward a thought-provoking proposal that has the students best interest in mind," Kelling said. "I encourage them to look into financial aid and accessibility in addition to just a tuition amount as factors that are important considerations."

Wes McCalley, student regent and former NAU student body president, said that the students should look to spread the $500 increase over a few years.

"It can be spread out over years instead of having it be a drastic jump in one year," McCalley said.

Green said that student lobbyists could run into problems with a request like that because incremental increases would mean large increases for the next five years instead of just next year.

Students said if there is a tuition increase, they hope financial aid will increase.

"If the tuition needs to be increased, then they should make sure financial aid increases and more financial scholarships are given," said Kerry Tealdi, a studio art freshman. Student lobbyists do plan on making sure financial aid is increased, Benedict said.

Students can sign up in the ASUA office for tomorrow's tuition focus group that begins at 2 p.m.