Universities and colleges across Arizona faced a large and costly change this year as they tried to conform to regulations requiered by Proposition 300.

Proposition 300 was passed by Arizona voters in November 2006. It requires all attendees of Arizona universities and colleges to prove their legal residency in the United States in order to receive in-state tuition or state-funded financial aid.

Before the proposition was passed, the concern was that many students who had entered the country illegally were able to pay in-state tuition and receive financial aid in Arizona. In Tucson, this angered people in the community.

“I didn’t believe it was fair that someone who is essentially breaking the law was able to benefit from our system,” Karl Fisher, a Tucson business owner, said. “I don’t have a problem with students coming from across the border to attend the university, just do it the right way.”

According to the registrar’s office at the University of Arizona, documentation of all students was collected after spring break 2007 until the beginning of the fall semester in August.

Students who had already filled out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, verified visas registered with the Office of International Students at the UA, or were not attending the University after spring 2007 or were not seeking financial aid or in-state tuition status, did not have to prove their residency.

“It took many people and many meetings to formulate an implementation plan,” Paul Kohn, vice-president of Enrollment Management at the UA said.

Students who did not fall into those groups and wanted to continue to pay in-state tuition had to prove their U.S. citizenship or legal status in the U.S.

So far the proposition has cost the UA over $160,000, Kohn said.

“(The University) is already suffering,” Kohn said. “It was costly to implement.”

A common misconception about Proposition 300 is that students who are not able to prove their legal residency are not allowed to attend universities.

“The law says nothing about attending,” Kohn said. “It strictly states that undocumented students cannot receive state-based financial assistance and must pay out-of-state tuition.”

According to the registrar’s office, students who are not documented residents are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and can't be reported to the state unless there is cause for an inquiry.

Although these students are unable to receive state financial assistance, it is still possible for them to receive scholarship money from non-state sources, according to the registrar’s office.

“(Illegal immigrants) are able to receive scholarship money only from donors who want to give it to them,” Kohn said.

This has created another issue among Arizona residents in the last few weeks, as it was discovered that Arizona State University was funding scholarships to illegal immigrants despite the proposition.

So far, there are only nine states in the U.S. that still allow illegal immigrants to attend state colleges at in-state tuition cost.