We all remember the debate surrounding instate or out-of-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants. Well the bill that resulted set the stage for H.B. 208 and Representative Richard Greenwood’s (R – Roy, District 12) further destruction of higher education.

Now, before I dive into things, know that this bill has nothing to do with immigration aside from the fact this bill makes clear that children of illegal immigrants still fall under a different set of rules.

No, this bill makes it more difficult for out of state students to get a degree in the first place.

Right now the bill states that your nonresident status is waved if you attended high school in Utah for three years, got a diploma from a Utah high school, or entered school before the 2002-03 school year. This bill would add the requirement that out of state students must not have a job while attending school.

Just sit on that one for a second – you CAN NOT have a job while in COLLEGE if you are not from here.

Now I don’t know what world Representative Greenwood comes from, but a job is all but necessary for students these days. I know I constantly needed a job while in school and I qualified for instate tuition – now pile on to that the fact that you are not from Utah.

How exactly is this supposed to help anyone? Either we make it financially impossible for talent to come to our schools, or we charge the few who do even more money because they are forced to take a job just to stay in school – making these students take even longer to finish a degree.

Is this bill just to be mean to people who want to take advantage of our fine educational facilities? Is this bill somehow supposed to defray the costs for those students who are from this state? Is this bill a giant ‘eff you to other states? I honestly don’t know.

Now if there is one thing I know about education, especially higher education, it is that it needs diversity to truly thrive. If this bill were to pass, we would make it even more difficult for people to gain an education.