The University of Arizona has reviewed the legal status of 877 students identified as potentially ineligible for in-state tuition under a state law aimed at illegal immigrants, but cleared most of them.
The school determined that 758 of the 877 students were legally entitled to in-state rates, but began charging 119 others who did not provide proof they are legal residents higher out-of-state tuition rates.
Arizona State University had 64,394 students registered for Fall 2007 semester; 207 told the school they were unable to prove their citizenship.
Voters passed Proposition 300 in November 2006. It requires illegal immigrants to pay the higher tuition and bans them from receiving state tuition assistance.
State universities and community colleges were required to file Proposition 300 compliance reports with the Joint Legislative Budget Committee by June 30 and again Dec. 31.
In June, the UofA reported that 877 students had not proven their legal status to the university.
The students were notified that further documentation was needed and 758 students provided it, the university said.
Of those 119 students, six came forward to UofA officials and said they would not be able to provide documentation proving legal residency, according to the report the UofA filed Dec. 31.
“Rather than have them drop out of school, private donors, including the UofA Foundation, agreed to pay their tuition,” said Paul R. Kohn, vice provost for enrollment management and dean of admissions.
A spokesman for the foundation was unavailable for comment at press time.
Kohn was out of his office and unable to access the list of students but said it is unlikely the remaining 113 are in the country illegally and also unlikely that they have paid the out-of-state tuition bill.
More probable, Kohn said, they are graduate students receiving graduate tuition assistance that covers out-of-state tuition, or children of UofA employees who qualify for reduced tuition and thus didn’t feel pressured to provide documentation that would allow them to qualify for in-state tuition.
Pima Community College also filed a report on Dec. 31, said spokesman David Irwin, but he was unable to provide details because of the holiday.