The Arizona Board of Regents voted Thursday to change the state’s AIMS scholarship program, reducing the amount of money awarded and increasing requirements to qualify.
The changes, approved by a 9-1 vote, include slashing the amount of money students receive from the scholarship, officially called the Regents High Honors Endorsement.
Starting in fall 2013, the award will cover 25 percent of first-year tuition at state universities. The current scholarship covers the full cost of freshman-year tuition.
The scholarship will still be renewable for four years.
In an effort to ensure students are ready for college, the scholarship will also require a minimum score of 1300 on the SAT or 28 on the ACT.
Many regents and ASU President Michael Crow said the current AIMS test is not suitable for determining if a student is prepared for college.
“This is the wrong test, in my opinion,” Crow said.
The changes will only affect students who are current high school sophomores or younger. Current high school juniors and seniors have been grandfathered into the scholarship program as it exists now.
The Arizona Students’ Association played a big part in making sure current juniors and seniors could still receive the full scholarship, Board Chair Elma Delic said.
“ASA and the regents worked really closely together throughout the whole process,” Delic said.
State officials will be looking into developing a new test that will more adequately determine students’ readiness for college, Delic said.
The AIMS test is taken by high school students starting in the 10th grade. To qualify for the scholarship, they must exceed in all three sections of the test and earn at least a B in each of several core high school courses.
Regent Fred DuVal said the changes in the program are not driven by budget cuts but are the result of an unsustainable scholarship program.
Crow said the University couldn’t afford to keep the scholarship without changing it. He added that the University will still remain committed to merit-based financial aid.
There was some opposition throughout the debate as to whether or not the AIMS program should be changed.
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, a member of the board of regents, was the only regent to vote against the changes.
“We are going to destroy this program,” he said.
Horne said the AIMS test serves as a motivator and provides students with an incentive for working hard and studying for the test.
Horne was in the Legislature when the AIMS scholarship was originally developed. As state superintendent he helped put it together and wanted to keep it the same for students.
Regent Bob McLendon said the AIMS scholarship has had problems from the beginning. He hopes the state develops a more efficient test and the full tuition wavier is able to come back once the economy rebounds.
“I think all of us hate to see all of the cuts in the program, but we are talking about reality,” he said.
Reach the reporter at cottens@asu.edu
