Meyers directed ABOR staff last week to review tuition options for Arizona students with deferred action status. In a statement leased Monday, Meyers says the options may include lower tuition rates compared to the current nonresident tuition rates these students currently pay. These “deferred action students” would not be eligible for in-state tuition.
Meyers says that while it may seem a subtle, it is an important legal distinction.
Arizona law prohibits any person who does not have lawful immigration status to be classified as an in-state student for purposes of tuition. It also prohibits the use of state taxpayer dollars to fund financial aid for these students. The Board has no plans to consider any policy revision that would violate the law.
Also last week ABOR elected 2013-14 board officers and selected Myers to continue as chair of the Board. Regent Mark Killian was elected vice chair, Regent Dennis DeConcini was reelected secretary, and Regent LuAnn Leonard was elected treasurer. Student Regent Kaitlin Thomson will serve as assistant treasurer. The officers take their positions July 1, 2013.
Governor Jan Brewer appointed Rick Myers to an eight-year term on the Arizona Board of Regents in January 2010. In addition to serving as chair of the Board, Myers also chairs the Regents’ Executive Committee and is an ex-officio member of all standing ABOR committees.
Myers serves on the board of directors for Critical Path Institute and was that organization’s chief operating officer for more than three years. Critical Path is a non-profit organization that works with the pharmaceutical industry, patient groups, academia and the Food and Drug Administration to tackle significant issues in drug development. Prior to joining Critical Path Institute, Myers was the vice president and general manager of IBM Tucson. He retired from IBM in 2003 after a 25-year career with the company.
Myers is a current member and past chairman of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council.
The Arizona Board of Regents 12-member board currently includes Senator Dennis DeConcini, Jay Heiler, Mark Killian, Ram Krishna, LuAnn Leonard, Anne Mariucci, Myers, Greg Patterson, and Student Regents Tyler Bowyer and Kaitlin Thompson. Brewer and Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal are ex-officio members.