102113_EMU_CS-1-2.JPG

Eastern Michigan University students walk through campus, Monday, Oct. 21.

(Courtney Sacco | The Ann Arbor News)

In less than a year qualifying unauthorized immigrants enrolled at Eastern Michigan University will pay the in-state tuition rate— saving affected students up to $15,500 a year.

The school's governing board agreed to amend the requirements for receiving in-state tuition from being a legal Michigan resident to having attended high school in the state for three years and matriculating into the school within 28 months of graduation.

The change allows unauthorized immigrants who grew up in Michigan to attend EMU at a less costly rate. The measure will go into effect in fall 2014, and until then unauthorized immigrants will continue paying the out-of-state rate of $24,900 a year.

EMU's in-state rate is just under $9,400 a year.

The Board of Regents also amended its guidelines to offer veterans the in-state rate, regardless of residency. The measure makes official a practice that is already in place though EMU's Vet Connect Award, a grant that covers the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition costs for veterans.



Students began lobbying regents for tuition equality in 2012, but the board declined to take up the issue. Regents worried that changing residency requirements could put federal funding at risk.

The board did attempt to set up a scholarship fund for unauthorized immigrants.

The fund would have offset the out-of-state tuition costs for unauthorized immigrants interested in attending EMU, but the proposed fund garnered little interest from donors.

Once the University of Michigan and Washtenaw Community College passed tuition equality measures in July and Wayne State University changed its policies in September, EMU students again petitioned regents to reconsider tuition equality measures.

"These individuals are like those in my classrooms... the only home they have experienced is this some, their Michigan home," EMU student body president Desmond Miller said during Tuesday's public Board of Regents meeting. "As more universities change their policies and we remain silent, students lose hope."

This time, the requests gained more traction.

The Board of Regents, with the support of EMU President Susan Martin, voted unanimously Tuesday to change guidelines and allow unauthorized immigrants to qualify for the lesser tuition rate.

Following the template used by other schools, EMU didn't change its residency requirements but instead added a new way for a student to qualify for in-state tuition: by attending Michigan high schools.

"We listened to the students, looked at the concerns the brought forward," Board of Regents Chair Francine Parker said during the meeting. "We do listen."

Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for the Ann Arbor News. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@mlive.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.