Out-of-state tuition must be reconsidered
by Brinn Talbot, Outpost contributor
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Today, I do not qualify for a reduced tuition rate even though I shop in Reno, previously worked in Nevada, was born in Nevada, have a mother who graduated from the University, have a father who still lives in Nevada and have a stepmother who sits on The Board of Regents, the organization that determines the university policies.
Today, I pay full out-of-state tuition. Why? Because of inflexible university policies that need to be reexamined.
Although my father, who has been a Nevada tax-paying citizen for more than 35 years, lives in Nevada, according to the University of Nevada, Reno catalog, application for residency is based on the parent's state of legal residency under the following terms:
- At least one parent has lived in Nevada continuously for at least twelve (12) consecutive months immediately prior to the date of the Nov. 1 application deadline. (My father has).
- At least one parent must have claimed Nevada as their state of legal residence on their Federal Income Tax return. (My father does).
- The applicant must be 26 years of age or under at the time of the November 1 deadline. (Nope. I am 29 and don't make the cut).
Because I don't qualify for residency (as shown
above), perhaps I qualify for the "Good Neighbor Policy," a
system instituted in 1988 to give nearby residents a break
from paying full out-of-state tuition.
The Good Neighbor Nonresident Tuition Policy states that students admitted and enrolled in the period between Fall 1993 and Spring 1995 pay $536.25 in addition to the per-credit (out-of-state) fees. However, Good Neighbor students admitted in Fall 1995 and after pay $197.50 per credit as opposed to $96.50 per credit. Both discounts apply only to students enrolled in at least 7 credits and reside in one of the following counties: Mohave County in Arizona; Alpine, El Dorado, Inyo, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas San Bernardino and Sierra counties in California.
Again, I am disqualified because as a business owner working full time, I cannot take seven units per semester. At this point in my educational sojourn, I pay full tuition per unit ($96.50 per credit for registration, plus $101 per credit for tuition). For example, this semester I paid about $600 for one class. This doesn't include additional fees for parking, health services, books, etc.
So maybe I qualify for a reduced tuition rate because I have a parent who graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno and completed more than 60 units of coursework.
Wrong again. I would qualify if my parent had attended undergraduate school as opposed to graduate school. According to the University of Nevada, Reno catalog, under the Regulations for Reduced Nonresident Tuition (Children of University of Nevada, Reno Alumni):
- Children of University of Nevada, Reno alumni, who graduated with a baccalaureate degree, and who reside outside the state of Nevada, are eligible for reduced non-residence tuition upon application, when enrolling in undergraduate studies only at the university.
My next option, my stepmother works for the university. Nope, this won't qualify me either. Because I am neither a spouse or blood-related child, I am once again denied reduced tuition privileges.
Clearly, tuition fees fluctuate throughout the country and each university must determine a realistic rate structure based on the program each college offers. According to an article published by The Tampa Tribune:
Colleges appear to be getting the message. After steep tuition climbs in the 1980s, the rate of increase has stabilized in recent years to about 4 percent to 5 percent a year. And many schools are trying to cut costs.
"Across the country, public colleges are looking to raise tuition because generally, there's declining state support for higher education, " said John Hammang, an administrator with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C.
There is a reason colleges have to raise tuition, but when will the increases stop and when will work-force productive full-time working individuals get a break? Maybe the solution is to work on lowering all education costs and nationally eliminating out-of-state tuition fees. This could be a problem because states would be educating non-tax paying citizens. But, if all 50 states supported the idea, a portion of each state's taxes could go toward funds for education.
USA Today (1997) published a story emphasizing the increased cost of running a university and expensive campus improvements. The article referred to the University of Nevada, Reno stating:
"While revenue bonds typically pay for such projects (campus improvements), other students fees may be affected. At the University of Nevada, Reno, students can live in three-bedroom, two-bathroom suites that include living area, kitchen, thermostat control and wiring for computer hookups. The cost may be higher, but the rooms fill up."
The article continued to read, "Parents expect it, too and are, so far willing to pay for it."
The article finishes with a quote from Kazim Ali, president of the United States Student Association, "It's not about what it really costs to educate someone. It's about the investment you make when you have educated people in the country. If you don't have educated people, who is going to do anything?"
This quote may be a bit overboard, but the point is well taken. Education is essential and we need to make it accessible and affordable to anyone willing to work to earn a degree.
College tuition battles are raging at universities throughout the country and both sides have justification for an argument. But, at our university we can make a statement. The University of Nevada, Reno's board of regents should reevaluate the out-of-state tuition to determine who qualifies for reduced tuition rates.
One might argue that Nevada residents who pay Nevada taxes should be entitled to the privilege of reduced tuition rates in their own state. After all, aren't they the ones funding the money for education in their home state?
Perhaps, but many Californians contribute to the economy in Nevada by working in Nevada and spending money in Nevada. Graduates of the University of Nevada, Reno quite possibly will end up working (at least part-time) in Nevada and this directly benefits the state and community members as a whole. Many Californians, who aren't students at the university, already work in Nevada and contribute to the state.
Why not make it appealing to interested students in California to come to the university? Compete with the California schools and position the University of Nevada, Reno as an affordable and great school for Nevadans and Californians living on or around the state line border? Why not bring more students into the mix and look at the big picture. Who's to say the students won't end up teaching for the university or relocating to Reno once they are exposed to the job market in Nevada. Why not be the first state to allow an "open door policy" and see how this impacts the "supply and demand" for the university.
Posted Nov. 18, 1999
Copyright 1999 Nevada Outpost
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