>>> THE ARIZONA BOARD OF REGENTS
MEETS IN TUCSON AND HEARS FROM
STUDENTS AFTER ANOTHER ROUND OF
BUDGET CUTS.
>> I'M REALLY AT THE WAY ARIZONA
TREATS EDUCATION.
I THINK THAT'S REALLY DANGEROUS
AND UNFORTUNATE FOR OUR ECONOMY.
>> A FORMER REGENT SAYS THAT'S A
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT, HIGHER
EDUCATION SHOULD BE MORE
AFFORDABLE.
>> THEY COULD DO MORE TO REDUCE
THE COSTS TO KEEP THE TUITION
DOWN.
>> THE CHALLENGES OF AFFORDING A
COLLEGE EDUCATION.
THIS IS "ARIZONA WEEK."
>>> THE ARIZONA LEGISLATOR
RECENTLY CUT $99 MILLION FROM
HIGHER EDUCATION.
THIS WEEK IS IN TUCSON HEARING
FIRSTHAND WITH STUDENTS FACED
WITH THE RISING COST OF TUITION
AND FEES.
FORMER U.S. SENATOR DENNIS
RECONCINI HAD SOMETHING TO SAY
ABOUT IS RISE IN TUITION.
>> WE HAVE TO CHALLENGE OUR
POLITICAL LEADERS.
IT'S HARD, AFTER 27 YEARS IN
ELECTED OFFICE.
IT'S HARD WHEN YOU HAVE TO ASK
THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO PAY
SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE ELSE,
WHATEVER IT IS, AND CERTAINLY
WELFARE IS CONTROVERSIAL AND
EDUCATION NOT QUITE SO MUCH,
BECAUSE EVERYBODY HAS GONE TO
SCHOOL AND PARENTS ARE INVOLVED,
BUT STILL, AND OUR STATE IS JUST
BOGGED DOWN WITH
ULTRACONSERVATIVES THAT DON'T
WANT TO PAY FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION
ANYMORE, THEY'RE BEING SUED, AS
YOU KNOW THE STATE'S BEEN SUED
AND SUCCESS WITHOUT A JUDGMENT
AGAINST THE STATE FOR NOT
FOLLOWING A PROPOSITION THAT WAS
PASSED AND WHILE I WAS ON THE
BOARD OF REGENTS FOR EIGHT
YEARS, FIVE, SIX OF THOSE YEARS,
FIVE OF THESE YEARS, TUITION
WENT UP AN AVERAGE OF ABOVE 8%,
SOMETIMES 15%.
BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE AND TO
THE GOVERNOR CUT VERY BADLY.
AND I UNDERSTAND RECESSIONS AND
I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO REDUCE
THE EXPENSES.
BUT WHEN YOU DO IT WITH COLLEGE
EDUCATION, OR K-12 EDUCATION,
YOU'RE HURTING YOUR ECONOMY,
YOU'RE CAUSING MORE PAIN AND
MORE SUFFERING AND MORE
SACRIFICE AND IT'S REALLY A SAD
THING FOR ARIZONA BECAUSE
ARIZONA HAS A HISTORY OF
CONTRIBUTING TO EDUCATION.
WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL, LIKE I
ALWAYS SAY, WAY LAST CENTURY,
THE STATE PAID OVER 80% OF IT.
NOW I THINK IT'S DOWN TO 11% OR
12%.
SO IT'S JUST VERY UNFORTUNATE.
OUR UNIVERSITIES, HOWEVER, HAVE
SUCCEEDED BECAUSE WE HAVE
TREMENDOUS LEADERSHIP AND
UNFORTUNATELY, THE BOARD HAS
INCREASED TUITION SUB
SUBSTANTIALLY.
I OPPOSED THOSE TUITIONS WHEN I
WAS THERE BECAUSE I FELT THERE
HAD TO BE A BETTER WAY, AND WITH
FEDERAL FUNDS DRYING UP, IT
DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S GOING TO
GET BETTER.
>> WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF
ARIZONA'S LANDSCAPE?
STUDENTS ARE NOT GETTING
EDUCATED IN UNIVERSITIES, NOT
PURSUING HIGHER EDUCATION.
>> IT'S A SHAME BECAUSE ARIZONA
IS ON THE LOWER TIER OF EVERY
MEASUREMENT OF EDUCATION.
DROPPING OUT, NOT GETTING
THROUGH IN EIGHT YEARS, COST IS
STILL ONE A THAT IS CONSIDERED A
GOOD INVESTMENT.
BUT IF YOU'RE A BLUE COLLAR
FAMILY AND YOU HAVE TO PAY
$11,000 PLUS A YEAR FOR YOUR
COLLEGE TUITION AND EVEN IF YOU
HAVE A JOB, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT
GOING TO MAKE MUCH MORE THAN
THAT AS A STUDENT.
IF YOU GET PARENTS THAT CAN HELP
YOU OR RELATIVES, FINE, AND THE
FEDERAL PROGRAMS ARE TREMENDOUS,
THE PELL GRANTS AND ARE RELIED
ON IMMENSELY.
BUT YOU HAVE TO PAY A LOT OF
THOSE BACK.
AND THE SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS THAT
OUR UNIVERSITIES HAVE CREATED
AND THE BOARD OF REGENTS
INSISTED WE RAISE WHEN I WAS
THERE, THAT 11% IS SET ASIDE FOR
NEEDY STUDENTS.
I DON'T WANT TO DRAG THIS ON,
BUT IT'S A GOOD POINT, THE STATE
OF ARIZONA WHEN I WAS THERE, AND
I DON'T THINK IT'S GONE UP OR
DOWN, PUT IN $10 MILLION FOR
FINANCIAL AID TO STUDENTS.
TEXAS, A VERY CONSERVATIVE
STATE, PUTS IN 480 MILLION.
IT'S A BIG STATE.
NEW YORK PUTS IN OVER $500
MILLION FOR STUDENT EDUCATION,
FOR FINANCIAL AID.
IT'S COMPARING MAYBE APPLES THE
TO ORANGES WHEN YOU LACK AT THE
SIZE OF IT, BUT ARIZONA IS JUST
SHORT.
THEY HAPPEN TO BE CONTROLLED BY
THE REPUBLICANS, THEY DON'T
CARE.
THEY DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY.
AND THEY HAVE THEIR ARGUMENTS.
WE HAVE A FINE YOUNG MAN WHO'S
BEEN A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN,
WHO SAYS HE WANTS EDUCATION, AND
WHAT DOES HE DO, HE CUTS THE
BUDGET OF $92 MILLION WHEN
THERE'S A SURPLUS OF OVER $100
MILLION.
I DON'T KNOW WHY.
>> WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE
COLLEGES AS AFFORDABLE AS
POSSIBLE.
THAT'S PROBABLY A FIGHT THAT
YOU'VE GOT TO REMEMBER.
WHY ISN'T THAT ON THE FRONT BUMP
BURNER FOR SOME OF THESE
REGENTS?
>> IT'S GOT TO BE MAKING THE
CASE BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT.
IT HAS BEEN RULED THAT THE BOARD
OF REGENTS ACT IN THAT CAPACITY
IN THAT CASE.
BUT THE ARGUMENT THE IN MY
OPINION WHEN I READ THE CASE, IS
NOT THE ARGUMENT I WOULD MAKE,
NOT THAT I'M THE MOST BRILLIANT
LAWYER, I HAVE TALKED TO OTHERS
WHO COULD MAKE A BETTER CASE,
THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A RELUCTANT
FOR THE STATE OF ARIZONA TO BE
SUING THE ARIZONA GOVERNMENT AND
THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR
FOR NOT FOLLOWING THE
CONSTITUTION.
AND NOW THE BOARD IS MADE UP OF
IS MADE OF UP GOVERNMENT
APPOINTEES AND IT'S THEIR GOAL
TO DO THAT.
WHEN IT WAS A DEMOCRATIC
APPOINTEES, WITH LEGAL ADVICE,
APPOINTEES, WITH LEGAL ADVICE,
IT WAS ENOUGH TO CONVINCE THE
MAJORITY OF THE REUNDERS TO TAKE
THAT ACTION.
>> WHY ARE THE PRESIDENTS OF
UNIVERSITIES PAID SO MUCH?
>> WELL, IT'S A GOOD QUESTION,
AND I STRUGGLED WITH IT, AND I
STRUGGLED WITH WHAT WE PAY OUR
COACHES, WHEN YOU'RE PAYING
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR A COACH
AND YOU'RE ASKING STUDENTS FOR A
15% RAISE IN TUITION.
AND IT'S THE REALITY OF COLLEGE
LIFE, AND THE COMPETITION IN MY
OPINION.
AND TO GET THE QUALITY TEACHERS
LIKE PRESIDENT DEHART AND
PRESIDENT CROWE AND OUR NEW
PRESIDENT AT NAU, IT'S A
COMPETITIVE NATURE.
>> THE LAST ROUND OF STATE CUTS
RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF MORE
THAN 300 JOBS AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF ARIZONA AND THE U OF A WILL
RECEIVE MORE THAN $30 MILLION
LESS IN STATE FUNDING.
MANNY FELIX, YOU'RE THE STUDENT
BODY PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY
OF ARIZONA.
>> LAST TIME I CHECKED, YES.
>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> THE BOARD OF REGENTS ARE IN
TOWN AND EVERYONE ALWAYS THINKS
THEY'RE GOING TO BE TALKING
ABOUT IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT
AFFECT TUITION.
WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM YOUR
PEERS AT THE U OF A ABOUT FROM
THEIR PEERS.
>>> THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT
DISCUSSIONS GOING ON.
THERE'S DISCUSSIONS ABOUT
TUITION, ABOUT "THE MATRIX,"
ABOUT THE THREE UNIVERSITIES AND
ALSO ABOUT THE NEW FUNDING
MODEL.
SO THERE'S DEFINITELY A LOT OF
DISCUSSION GOING ON THAT ALWAYS
TIES BACK TO THE TUITION AND THE
BUDGET CUTS THAT WE EXPERIENCED
LAST YEAR.
THERE IS DISCUSSION ON IT, BUT
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON HOW WE MOVE
FORWARD INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON
THE PAST.
>> HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD?
BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T NECESSARILY
SEEN DECLINING NUMBERS IN
ENROLLMENT, PEOPLE ARE TAKING
LESS CLASSES SO THEY CAN ENROLL
IN SCHOOL.
>> I HAVE DEFINITELY SEEN THAT,
AND JUST LISTENING TO
CONVERSATIONS FROM MY PEERS, I
CAN DEFINITELY SEE THAT.
BUT I THINK A VERY GOOD WAY TO
MOVE FORWARD IS THROUGH THE NEW
FUNDING MODEL.
FUNDING MODEL.
THE STATE FUNDS PAYS BE ABOUT
30% OF A STUDENT'S TUITION AND
TO SLOWLY INCREASE THAT AMOUNT
CLOSE ER TO 50%, THAT WOULD BE A
MONUMENTAL THING TO DO IN MY
PERSPECTIVE, AND I THINK THAT'S
PERSPECTIVE, AND I THINK THAT'S
A GOOD WAY TO START FOR NOW.
THE WAY THAT WE MEASURE MATRIX,
THE WAY THAT WE MEASURE THE
QUALITY OF EDUCATION OF A
STUDENT, THAT'S ALSO BEING
TALKED ABOUT AND DISCUSSED
TODAY.
I FEEL LIKE EVERYONE HAS WHAT
CONSTITUTES A QUALITY EDUCATION
AND EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN
OPINION ON THAT.
BUT I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE COME
TO A CONSENSUS.
JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, HOW
DO WE MEASURE THE QUALITY OF
EDUCATION AND "THE MATRIX" FROM
THE THREE DIFFERENT
UNIVERSITIES.
>> YOU WORK WITH A LOT OF
DIFFERENT FOLKS HERE AT THE U OF
A, DOES EVERYONE SEEM TO
UNDERSTAND THE STUDENTS'
PERSPECTIVE AND THE FACT THAT
THE IT IS MORE EXPENSIVE TO GO
TO SCHOOL NOW?
>> ADMINISTRATORS ALWAYS KEEP
THAT IN MIND, NO ONE WANTS TO
SEE TUITION INCREASE.
THE GOAL IS TO HAVE TUITION AS
FREE AS POSSIBLE, BUT
UNFORTUNATELY YOU HAVE TO RAISE
TUITION, AND IN THE FUTURE TO
MAKE IT MORE AFFORDABLE AND FOR
EVERYONE TO RECEIVE A BETTER
QUALITY EDUCATION TO BE MORE
SUCCESSFUL AFTER COLLEGE AND GET
A JOB, AND JUST -- YOU KNOW THE
STORY, I BELIEVE WE DO LISTEN TO
THESE CONCERNS AND WITH WE TRY
TO ACCOMMODATE AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE, BUT THEN AGAIN, WE
HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE
FOR THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE
STUDENTS.
SO I THINK THE ADMINISTRATION
DOES A GOOD JOB WITH THAT,
ALWAYS KEEPS THE BEST INTERESTS
OF THE STUDENTS IN MIND.
>> THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND THE
BOARD OF REGENTS ARE OFTEN
MAKING THESE CUTS TO HIGHER
EDUCATION.
DO YOU THINK THE STUDENTS EXPECT
TOO MUCH OF THE STATE WHEN
THEY'RE TRYING TO EARN A COLLEGE
DEGREE?
>> I THINK -- WE ALWAYS EXPECT
EVERYTHING TO GO PERFECTLY AND
WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG,
THAT'S WHEN EVERYONE REALLY
STARTS TO PAYING ATTENTION TO
ISSUES.
AND I FEEL LIKE THAT'S THE
BIGGEST DOWNFALL THAT WE HAVE.
SO LAST YEAR WHEN THE BUDGET
CUTS HAPPENED.
YOU JUST READ THE HEADLINES,
WITH 100 MILLION BUDGET CUTS IN
ARIZONA, WITH HIGHER EDUCATION,
YOU SAY YOU KNOW WHAT?
IF THEY'RE NOT INVESTING IN MY
EDUCATION, WHY SHOULD I SHOW AN
INTEREST IN MY EDUCATION.
I TELL PEOPLE THAT, INSTEAD
OF -- THERE'S DEFINITELY, IT'S
UNFORTUNATE THAT THE BUDGET CUTS
WERE MADE IN THE FIRST PLACE,
BUT I THINK IT'S, LIKE I SAID,
HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD FROM THIS
POINT ON?
AND WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THAT.
WE SHOULDN'T BE UPSET ABOUT IT.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD IN THE
FUTURE, AND SLOWLY GET THAT
MONEY THAT WE WERE CUT AND
SLOWLY BRING I IT BACK TO HIGHER
EDUCATION OR HOW IS IT THAT WE
CAN HELP ARIZONA GROW AS A STATE
AND SEE THE QUALITY OF OUR
EDUCATION IN ARIZONA GO HIGHER.
>> THE ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT IS
A STUDENT RUN NEWSPAPER AND THIS
FALL THE PAPER RAN AN EDITORIAL
ASKING ADMINISTRAORS TO CUT
HIGHER EDUCATION.
>> WE TALKED ABOUT SINCE THE
INCREASE IN TUITION IN THE PAST
FIVE YEARS, WE HAVE HAD
DEFINITELY THE MOST IN TERMS OF
INFLATION AND NOT REALLY OTHER
COSTS, RISING TUITIONS FOR
STATES IN THE UNIVERSITY.
AS WELL AS THE MOST INCREASED
SPENDING PER STUDENT HEAD FOR
HIGHER LEARNING, SO IT'S KIND OF
WE'RE SPENDING SO MUCH MORE AND
REALLY RECEIVING SO MUCH LESS, A
SITUATION THAT WE WERE A LITTLE
BIT SHOCKED TO REALLY LOOK AT
THE NUMBERS, ESPECIALLY
FOLLOWING THE FRINGE BUDGET CUTS
FROM THE GOVERNOR AS WELL AS THE
ABOR PLAN TO APPROVE THE SALARY
INCREASES FOR THE 2024-2025
PLAN.
>> THE BOARD OF REGENTS SAY WE
HAVE TO RAISE TUITION, AND THE
GOVERNOR SIGNS OFF ON IT.
IS IT FAIR TO GO TO THE REGENTS?
>> I THINK THAT WE WERE
DISAPPOINTED WITH THE HEADS OF
THE INSTITUTIONS THAT THEY WERE
WILLING TO TAKE THESE RAISES.
I DON'T THINK ANY OF US WERE
PARTICULARLY DISAPPOINTED IN AB
OR.
THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO MAINTAIN
THE BOTTOM LINE OF THE PUBLIC
UNIVERSITIES IN ARIZONA, KEEP IT
PROFITABLE SO THAT IT CAN
SUSTAIN ITSELF IN THE WAKE OF
THESE HORRIBLE BUDGET CUTS THAT
WE'RE EXPERIENCING.
BUT THE PRESIDENTS REALLY SHOULD
NOT HAVE AS THE HEAD OF THESE
INSTITUTIONS TAKEN THESE RAISES.
OBVIOUSLY RAISES TO THEIR
COMPENSATION COULDN'T HAVE SAVED
THE OVER 300 JOBS THAT WERE CUT
IN THE PAST FISCAL YEAR FROM OUR
UNIVERSITY.
AN INCREASED IN 20,000 IN
HOUSING ALLOWANCE AND CAR
ALLOWANCE.
AND SALARY ISN'T GOING TO PAY
FOR 375 FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBERS.
BUT IT'S JUST THE PRINCIPAL OF
THE MATTER, BUT THEY, AS THE
HEADS OF THESE INSTITUTIONS AND
THESE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS HAVE
BEEN ACTIVE LONG ENOUGH TO
UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE THERE
TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND TO
PROVIDE A SERVICE AND NOT TO GET
AN INCREASE IN PAY EVERY
QUARTER.
6.
>> DO YOU THINK STUDENTS EXPECT
TOO MUCH OR ASK TOO MUCH OF THE
STATE AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE
TAKING ON MORE OF THESE COSTS
THEMSELVES?
>> I PERSONALLY DON'T THINK
THEY'RE ASKING TOO MUCH OF THE
STATE.
I'M PERSONALLY A BENEFACTOR TO
GET UNIVERSITIES TO GET MORE
MONEY FOR THE UNIVERSITIES.
I'M PART OF THE SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAM, IT'S A QUARTER OF WHAT
IT USED TO BE AND IT CAN BARELY
COVER COURT COSTS AND MANDATORY
FEES AND ALL THE STUFF THAT'S
BEING BUILT AROUND TUITION
THAT'S AROUND TUITION THAT AB OR
IS APPROVING.
SO WE HAVE STUDENT WELLNESS
FEES, THE LAND GRANT FEES FOR
UNIVERSITY EXPANSION, THE IT
BOARD FEE, THE FRESHMAN FEE FOR
FRESHMAN STUDENTS, ALL OF THESE
FEES THAT ARE ON TOP OF TUITION
THAT'S NOT EXPLCITLY PART OF
TUITION.
SO WE HAVE THE BFA FILM PROGRAM,
THOSE STUDENTS ARE PAYING ABOUT
$2,000 IN COURSE FEES DURING THE
COURSE OF THEIR UNDERGRADUATE
YEAR, SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO
SPEND 15,000 ON THEIR
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAS WHICH IS
FOR FILMS.
WE NEED YOU TO PAY FOR ALL OF
THESE THINGS AND THEN YOU HAVE
TO PAY FOR ALL OF THESE THINGS
THAT YOU WANT TO DO, IF YOU WANT
TO TAKE AN ONLINE COURSE, THAT'S
A FEE, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A
COURSE THAT'S ONLINE AND IN
PERSON, THAT'S A FEE.
A IT'S NOT FEES THAT REALLY
PUBLIC EDUCATION WAS MEANT TO
BE.
>> A PROTEST FOR LOW WAGES,
TUITION INCREASES AND EMPLOYEE
LAYOFFS.
HERE'S SARAH NETHERTON AT U OF
A.
>> ACROSS THE BOARD, A LOT OF IT
IS FUNDING, WE AREN'T ELIGIBLE
FOR A LOT OF THE FINANCIAL AID
THAT YOU CAN GET AS AN
UNDERGRAD.
AND YOU CAN WORK, AND THAT'S
GOOD, BUT IT MAKES IT MORE
COLLAGING TO COMPLETE YOUR
STUDIES ON TIME.
IT'S JUST A BALANCE THAT WE HAVE
TO WALK AS FAR AS PAYING FOR
EDUCATION.
>> I READ A REPORT THAT SOME OF
THE NUMBERS ARE LOWER THAN
OTHERS IN THE STATE.
>> WE'RE STUDENT WORKERS, WHICH
IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY
BECAUSE IT DOES TRANSFER TO
EDUCATION, BUT IT'S A PART-TIME
JOB AND YOU DON'T MAKE ENOUGH TO
LIVE ON.
>> IT'S PRETTY COMMON FOR
GRADUATE STUDENTS TO HAVE A
FAMILY LIFE, HAVE SOME OTHER
EXPERIENCES.
YOU'RE A SINGLE MOM WITH TWO
SMALL CHILDREN.
HOW DO YOU MANAGE -- YOU JUST
EARNED YOUR MASTERS --
>> A DOCTORAL DEGREE.
>> A DOCTORAL DEGREE.
HOW DO YOU MANAGE A LIFE OF
BEING A STUDENT AND HAVING A
DREAM OF SERVING IN A GREATER
CAPACITY?
>> VERY CAREFULLY WITH A LOT OF
TIME MANAGEMENT.
BUT AT THIS POINT, IT'S A
NECESSITY FOR ME, I GOT DIVORCED
AND REALIZED IN OUR ECONOMY I
COULD NOT MAKE A LIVING WITH AN
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE.
I HAVE A HISTORY IN SOCIAL WORK
AND I WANT TO DO SOCIAL WORK AND
I CAN'T SUPPORT MY KIDS ON ONE
INCOME.
AND SO I WENT BACK TO SCHOOL.
AND SO IT'S KIND OF AN ODD
CATCH-22, THAT IN ORDER TO BE
CATCH-22, THAT IN ORDER TO BE
WITH YOUR CHILDREN, IN ORDER TO
EXCAVATE THE FAMILY, YOU NEED
HIGHER EDUCATION, BUT THAT WHOLE
PROCESS IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO
BALANCE WITH A FAMILY.
AND I WAS REALLY SURPRISED I GOT
MY UNDERGRAD HERE, BUT WHAT USED
TO BE THE NORMAL UNDERGRAD
STUDENT ARE NOT THE NORMAL
STUDENT.
YOU HAVE MORE UNDERGRADS ---KIND
OF REENVISIONS WHAT HIGHER
EDUCATION NEEDS TO LOOK LIKE I
THINK IS GOING TO BE KEY IN
ORDER TO COMPETE.
BUT IT'S A NECESSITY.
ESPECIALLY FOR A SINGLE FAMILY.
>> YOU JUST SAID IT'S A
NECESSARY THEITY.
SOME PEOPLE MIGHT SAY CHANGE
YOUR WAY OF LIFE, PUSH FOR
SPENDING IN OTHER PLACES, BUT
WHY PUSH FOR THIS NEW CAREER?
>> TRIED CUTTING MY SPENDING AND
I TRIED DOING EVERYTHING ELSE.
IT'S JUST NOT FEASIBLE.
YOU'RE LIVING SO FAR BELOW THE
POVERTY LINE THAT YOU CAN'T
LIVE.
I WOULD HAVE HAD TO FORECLOSE ON
MY HOUSE, I SOLD MY CAR, I DID
ALL OF THE THINGS THAT I COULD
DO TO MAKE THINGS WORK AND IT'S
JUST NOT FEASIBLE.
>> YOU'RE GOING TO FINISH YOUR
PROGRAM OF STUDY SO YOU CAN HAVE
THE CAREER THAT YOU DREAMED OF.
>> YES, SO I CAN PROVIDE FOR MY
FAMILY.
>> THAT I'M NOT WORKING MAYBE
100 HOURS A WEEK AT TWO OR THREE
SEPARATE JOBS AND NEVER SEE MY
KIDS.
SO I'M MAKING THE TRADEOFF NOW
AND GIVING UP A LOT OF THINGS
NOW SO THAT I CAN HAVE A MORE
STABLE LIFE LATER.
>> AND THE BUZZ NOW WITH MY
COLLEAGUE CHRISTOPHER CONOVER,
LOTS TO TALK ABOUT THIS WEEK.
>> THE ARIZONA STUDENT
ASSOCIATION IN 2013 FILED SUIT
AGAINST THE BOARD OF REGENTS
BECAUSE THE BOARD VOTED TO
CHANGE THE WAY THE FEE THAT
FUNDS THE ARIZONA STUDENT
ASSOCIATION IS COLLECTIVE, AND
THE STUDENT ASSOCIATION IS NOW
ESSENTIALLY BROKE AS A RESULT.
THE STUDENTS CLAIMED IT WAS
RETALIATION BECAUSE THEY
ACTIVELY CAMPAIGNED IN 2012 FOR
THE EXTENSION OF THAT HALF CENT
SALES TAX.
GOVERNOR BREWER WAS VERY MUCH
AGAINST THE EXTENSION.
THE GOVERNOR SITS AS A MEMBER OF
THE BOARD OF REGENTS AND THEY
SAY THAT BECAUSE THEY WERE
OPPOSING THE GOVERNOR ACTIVELY
ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, THE BOARD
OF REGENTS RETAILATED.
A LOWER COURT, A FEDERAL COURT
THREW IT OUT.
THIS IS NOT A FIRST AMENDMENT
RETALIATION CASE AND THREW THE
CASE OUT.
THE STUDENTS APPEALED TO THE
U.S. NINTH CIRCUIT AND THIS WEEK
THEY HEARD THE ARGUMENT, I
WATCHED THE ARGUMENTS AND TWO OF
THE JUDGES SEEMED TO SAY THAT
THEY BELIEVE THIS IS A
RETALIATION CASE.
NOW JUST BECAUSE JUDGES PUSHED
THEIR QUESTIONING THAT
PARTICULAR QUESTION FROM THE
BENCH IS NO GUARANTEE THAT
THAT'S HOW THEIR RULING WILL
COME DOWN.
IF THEY RULE IN FAVOR OF THE
STUDENTS, ALL IT MEANS IS IT
GOES BACK TO THE LOWER COURT,
FEDERAL COURT AND WE HAVE A
TRIAL.
>> COULD IT MEAN MORE DOLLARS?
>> THEY COULD GET MORE MONEY FOR
THE ARIZONA STUDENT ASSOCIATION.
IT WAS A $2 WHAT WAS CALLED
NEGATIVE CHECK OFF.
WHEN STUDENTS GOT THEIR TUITION
BILLS, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO PAY
THIS $2 TO THE STUDENT
ASSOCIATION, THIS IS A LOBBYING
GROUP FOR STUDENTS FOR STUDENTS
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
>> MARIJUANA ALSO IN THE NEWS
THIS WEEK.
>> MARIJUANA, JUSTICE WEEK, WE
HAD AN OPINION FROM THE ARIZONA
SUPREME COURT, A UNANIMOUS
DECISION REGARDING MEDICAL
MARIJUANA AND DWI OR DUI.
TWO PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED FOR
DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, AND
THEY WERE MEDICAL MARIJUANA CARD
HOLDER, WHICH MEANS LEGALLY THEY
COULD HAVE MEDICAL MARIJUANA.
THEY WERE ARRESTED FOR DUI, THEY
TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE
METABOLISM OF MARIJUANA IN THEIR
BLOOD.
THEY CHALLENGED THAT ARREST
SAYING WE CAN LEGALLY HAVE THOSE
METABOLITES IN OUR BLOOD BECAUSE
WE ARE A CARD HOLDER.
THOSE MARIJUANA METABOLITES STAY
IN YOUR BLOOD FOR A LONG TIME.
THEY SAID YOU COULD LEGALLY HAVE
THEM IN YOUR BLOOD, BUT THEY
DIDN'T OVERTURN THE CONVICTION.
OF IF YOU ARE IMPAIRED AND
YOU'RE ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA, YOU
ARE IMPAIRED.
WHAT IT ALLOWS LEGAL MEDICAL
MARIJUANA TO DO, IS TO PROVE
THAT YES THEY HAVE THE
METABOLITES IN THEIR BLOOD BUT
THEY WERE NOT IMPAIRED
NECESSARILY, BUT THEY HAVE TO
PROVE THAT IN COURT.
>> CAN YOU DRIVE UNDER THE
INFLUNS OF MARIJUANA?
>> IF YOU ARE DRIVING UNDER THE
INFLUENCE, IT'S ILLEGAL.
YOU CAN NOT DRIVE IMPAIRED.
IT'S ALL IN THE SAME CATEGORY.
>> JOINING OTHER GOVERNORS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY SAYING NO
MORE REFUGEES IN THIS COUNTRY
RIGHT NOW.
WHERE IS THAT RIGHT NOW?
>> EARLIER IN THE WEEK THE
GOVERNOR SENT A LETTER TO THE
WHITE HOUSE SAYING WE DON'T WANT
ANYMORE REFUGEES IN ARIZONA, NOT
SYRIAN, NOT AFGHANI, WHATEVER,
HE SAID NO MORE REFUGEES.
HE ENDED UP ON A CONFERENCE CALL
WITH WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS
TRYING TO EXPLAIN HIS SIDE AND
THEY EXPLAINED THEIR SIDE AND
THEIR SIDE WAS THERE IS A
PROCESS FOR VETTING THEM AND
WE'RE SENDING REFUGEES TO THE
VARIOUS STATES AS WE ALWAYS
HAVE.
>> DOES HE HAVE LEGAL RIGHT TO
DO THIS AS GOVERNOR OF ARIZONA?
>> NOT REALLY.
HE SAYS HE DOES.
BUT IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT
THE HISTORY, VERY RECENT HISTORY
OF COURT FACES, SD 1070.
THE U.S. SUPREME COURT WAS VERY
CLEAR THAT IMMIGRATION IS THE
PURVIEW OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT NOT THE INDIVIDUAL
STATES.
THAT CAME OUT OF SD 107 0.
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION IS
USING THAT OVER THE LATEST
IMMIGRATION ARGUMENTS GOING TO
THE SUPREME COURT.
TODAY FRIDAY, HE SENT ANOTHER
LETTER, WITH ADDITIONAL
GOVERNORS, ALL REPUBLICANS, SENT
A LETTER TO THE WHITE HOUSE, NOT
ONLY ASKING FOR NO MORE REFUGEES
BUT SUSPENDING ALL SYRIAN
REFUGEES.
>> THIS STORY GETTING A LOT OF
ATTENTION, THE BORDER POLICE ON
THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER.
WE'LL WATCH THAT AND SEE HOW
THAT TRANSFORMS.
>> THAT'S OUR PROGRAM.
FOR ALL OF US AT ARIZONA PUBLIC