>>> 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,

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.

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

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.

>> 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

>> 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.

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

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