MEDIA RELEASE
April 25, 2012
For Immediate Release
Contact: Lynea Hansen
(303)579-8794
Lynea@LyneaHansen.com

Colorado ASSET Dies on Party Line Vote
Republican's Walk Away From $4 Million Annually for Higher Education

Denver, CO - Today, the House Finance committee dashed the hopes of hundreds of students across Colorado and walked away from $4 million a year for higher education by killing Colorado ASSET, Senate Bill 15.

Undocumented students will be graduating this May with very limited opportunities to pursue their hopes and dreams through higher education. Colorado ASSET would have allowed those students to pay the standard-rate tuition instead of the exorbitant out of state tuition rate.

"Not only will students benefit from Colorado ASSET but all of Colorado will benefit," opened former Mayor Bill Vidal who is now the President of the Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

"47% of Republicans voted at their State Assembly to support Colorado ASSET. Yes, you heard that right 47% of our most conservative members who attended our State Assembly voted to support Colorado ASSET. We must get on the right side of this issue, many of the members of our party already are," continued Ralph Nagel prominent Republican and businessman.

CCHE Republican Chairman Hereford Percy testified on behalf of CCHE who has supported Colorado ASSET for three years, "Senate Bill 15 is an exercise in fiscal sensibility for the institutions of higher education in our state. On behalf of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education I encourage you to pass this legislation and provide our institutions with additional funding to do their job."

Lastly, Chris Bray another prominent Republican businessman addressed the committee, "Why are you taking my tax dollars, investing them in these kids' K-12 education and then not finishing the job? I'm not sure why my party doesn't support this bill. Why can't my party get the job done?"

After this compelling testimony by three prominent Colorado Republicans the House Finance committee Republicans voted to kill Colorado ASSET on a party line vote.

"This is a great loss for Colorado and for so many bright minds. We are deeply disappointed that the Republicans on the House Finance committee couldn't see through politics to help our students and Colorado's institutions of higher education. ASSET was a win-win for everyone," statement by the Higher Education Access Alliance.

 

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Colorado ASSET creates a third category of tuition called standard-rate tuition. For students to be eligible for this rate a student will have to attend three or more years of high school in Colorado and graduate or obtain a GED. The student will then have to apply and be accepted at one of Colorado's institutions of higher learning within 12 months after graduating from high school or earning a GED.


Colorado ASSET students will not be eligible for any state or federal financial aid. This means that no Colorado taxpayer dollars will go towards this program. Instead the colleges and universities in our state will see increased revenue from additional students attending our schools.

 

Institutions of higher education are allowed to opt-out of creating a standard-rate tuition category.

  

You can learn more about Colorado ASSET at www.HEAAColorado.org

HEAA, the Higher Education Access Alliance, is a statewide coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to promoting affordable access to higher education for all Colorado high school graduates.

 

HEAA is managed by six non-profits that make up the Steering Committee: The Colorado Catholic Conference, the Colorado Education Association, the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, the Latin American Educational Foundation, Metro Organizations for People, and Padres y J�venes Unidos. HEAA also includes numerous community organizing groups and individuals from across Colorado you can see a list here.