August 21, 2012 12:08 AM UTC

Metro State Tuition Equity Generating National Press

• 0 Comments
• by: Colorado Pols

Two months ago, Metropolitan State University of Denver stirred both headlines and the ire of local conservatives by announcing that undocumented students would be able to enroll in classes there at a tuition rate slightly higher than that of other Colorado residents but drastically lower than they had previously been forced to pay. This so-called “tuition equity” mirrored the potential effects of last session’s “ASSET” bill, which would’ve created a special tuition rate for undocumented students at all state universities. That bill ultimately died at the hands of the Republican-controlled House Finance Committee in April.

When Metro State took the matter into its own hands, then, Republicans were incensed: Metro had effectively implemented tuition equity despite the GOP’s best efforts to sideline the issue. Attorney General John Suthers issued a non-binding “advisory opinion” informing the school that it couldn’t legally create the new tuition category. University administrators, meanwhile, were forced to defend their proposal at a meeting convened by JBC Chairwoman Cheri Gerou.

The university still stands by its decision, and the start of classes today signals more affordable tuition rates for undocumented students, as the New York Times reports:

The new rate, approved by the university’s board of trustees in June, has garnered praise from immigrant rights advocates here who have tried for years to get legislation passed that would allow state colleges to offer discounted tuition to local, illegal immigrant students.

Stephen Jordan, Metro State’s president, said the board took action after Colorado lawmakers failed to pass a similar tuition proposal this year. “Clearly, from our perspective, these are young people who were brought here of no accord of their own,” he said.

“I think what our board was saying was, ‘Why wouldn’t we want to provide an affordable tuition rate for these students?’ ” he added. “So that they can get a college degree and become meaningful contributors to the economy of Colorado.”

Still, in a state where about 20 percent of residents are Hispanic and where the tuition issue generates rancor in the legislature, the new policy has provoked a furor, largely among Republican lawmakers.

With former Congressman Tom Tancredo threatening litigation over the issue, the headlines won’t be dissipating anytime soon. Indeed controversy and national press will sustain political and policy conversations about the issue. Tuition equity won’t necessarily be an election year hot topic, but continued focus on Metro’s policy will push the issue near the top of next year’s legislative agenda.

Which, considering the House GOP’s unwillingness to put tuition equity to a full house vote, underscores exactly why Metro would implement the changes in the first place.