State schools could charge for tuition
BOISE – A House committee Friday overwhelmingly passed legislation that will allow state universities other than the University of Idaho to charge tuition, after 90 minutes of testimony mostly against the plan.
When UI’s student lobbyist made disparaging comments about higher education in the state, lawmakers quickly turned from showing sympathy to being infuriated.
“Idaho, unfortunately, is not known for a high degree of quality in its institutions of higher education,” Katie Whittier told the House Education Committee. “Rather, people are drawn to our state … on account of affordability.”
Members of the committee abruptly scolded Whittier, saying most Idahoans take great pride in the state’s colleges and universities.
“I’m appalled at this (testimony) and I’m disturbed by it,” said Rep. Ann Rydalch, R-Idaho Falls. “You have the audacity to come here and put this in front of us. I would certainly hope the University of Idaho would do something about this.”
Whittier prefaced her comments by saying HB 231 will not affect UI students. That’s because the school is constitutionally prohibited from charging residents tuition. If UI wanted to do so, it would have to seek a constitutional amendment, which the school doesn’t plan to do, according Marty Peterson, a lobbyist for UI.
The measure, however, would allow the state’s other institutions – Boise State, Idaho State and Lewis-Clark State College – to charge tuition instead of just fees.
State law forbids currently those schools from charging residents for college tuition. But in 1986, lawmakers defined tuition as the cost of student instruction – leaving the state free to charge fees for things like the maintenance of the schools and student services.
The committee voted 14-3 to send the bill to the full House. Democratic Reps. Mike Mitchell of Lewiston, Donna Boe of Pocatello and Donna Pence of Gooding all voted against it.
Coeur d’Alene GOP Reps. Marge Chadderdon and Bob Nonini cast yes votes, as did Rep. Frank Henderson, R-Post Falls.
Last month, ISU and BSU student leaders announced they were suing the state Board of Education, which is a sponsor of the bill along with Rydalch and three other legislators, arguing the state may be illegally charging tuition. Backers of the bill say this legislation will clear up any confusion that exists.
But Ryan McBride, the ISU lobbyist, said the bill has another problem: It creates a double standard, where fees are restricted at UI but nowhere else.
“Why should I have to pay extra money when University of Idaho students don’t have to?” he asked. “It’s not fair.”
Rep. Pete Nielsen, R-Mountain Home, said the hearing “has been heart-rending for me. I’m sure the poor economy and tight budget caused this problem to percolate to the top a lot sooner.” He then voted for the change.
Whittier, McBride and a BSU student lobbyist all said students can’t continue to bear the increasing burden that’s being placed on them. If this bill passed, they said, there would be no legal restriction to the schools bumping up the fees even more in the future.
But proponents of the legislation said the state Board of Education would still hold the power to approve increases. Though Moscow Republican Rep. Tom Trail left the hearing early to present another bill, he said his mind isn’t made up on the issue. “I’m still bothered a bit at not providing some guarantee that we don’t continue the escalation of fees like we’ve seen in the last 10 years,” he said after the meeting.