A house bill that would have required most university students to pay $2,000 of their tuition out-of-pocket was withdrawn from a committee agenda Wednesday.
Student activists had been engaging in protest efforts leading up to House Bill 2675's most recent development.
Members of the Arizona Students’ Association and Undergraduate Student Government protested HB 2675 Wednesday morning near the Memorial Union.
The out-of-pocket cost would not have been covered by financial aid or university scholarships.
In order to increase awareness of the bill and the legislative process, ASA members registered students for the Arizona Legislative Information System, a portion of the legislature’s website that allows residents to inform themselves about the state’s bills.
Business management freshman and ASA intern Clarissa Sorden said this ensures legislators knew students opposed HB 2675.
“We’re trying to get as many people registered as possible,” Sorden said.
USG director of outreach Mark Naufel, a computer information systems and finance sophomore, said there is a misconception that tuition is the only element making up the cost of attendance at a university.
Naufel said creating awareness could help kill the bill.
“It’s students that this bill affects, so we should be a strong voice in telling them this isn’t something we want,” he said.
Communication junior Ross Campo had been unaware of HB 2675. He said it would be “ridiculous” to force students to pay $2,000 for tuition out-of-pocket, and wouldn’t help the economy or students’ ability to pay for school.
“You’re taking away education from people who can barely afford it, and then you’re making it harder for people to get an education who can afford it,” Campo said.
Finance senior Diego Hernandez, who was also unaware of the bill, said it would create even more stress for students.
Hernandez said legislators need to respect that students take paying for college seriously.
“Since tuition has increased every year, I’m paying for that out-of-pocket,” he said. “That’s why I’m working 20 hours a week. They need to understand that.”
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