Texas Marine Told He's No Resident, Must Pay Higher Tuition
Wednesday, August 17, 2005


AUSTIN, Texas — A decorated Marine enrolling in college was shocked to learn his Texas driver's license, car registration and bank records weren't enough to get the lower resident tuition rates.

Carl Basham said officials at Austin Community College recently told him that he lost his Texas resident's status because of the years he spent out of state on two tours of duty in Iraq.

Not having the in-state designation would mean paying around $2600 a semester in tuition, instead of about $500.

The school's response surprised the 27-year-old Beeville native, who is registered to vote in Travis County, has a Texas driver's license and does his banking in Austin.

Officials at the college said that Basham didn't meet state requirements as determined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. A school spokeswoman says privacy laws prevent prevented her from commenting on his case.


I smell a Texas ARFCOM fire mission

Wait a minute.  Don't illegal aliens even get resident tuition?  

Quoted: I smell a Texas ARFCOM fire mission

 Here's the link to the staff of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.   www.thecb.state.tx.us/cfbin/staff.cfm

I'd suggest that first we find out if what the official at the Austin Community College said is actually true or correct.  If Basham has lost his resident's status because of his military duty, we need to contact our state reps and senators and pressure them into getting the board to change.

 FWIW, I hadn't been in TX for 8 years.  Wasn't residing in the state for 17 years.  But when I was discharged and came back to Texas, there was no question of my state residence status at UTD, DCCC or UTA when I went to visit the counselors and admittance people, to them I was still a resident of Texas.


mm

this is bullshit.

keep us updated on what happens, or if more help is needed.

-

MAN there has to be  MORE....................
1 - - - I am a DEVIL DOG,
2 - - - Attended UT,
3 - - - I took summer classes at ACC in Austin.

My opinon/2 cents ----
The people working in the VA sections at both schools bent over backward and did everything they possibly could to take care of me and anyone else I know of down there.

I HAD NO PROBLEMS GETTING THE VA and REDUCED TUITION.
"My DD-214 said my home of record when I enter ed the CORPS  was MESQUITE, TX."
THAT IS ALL THEY NEEDED.................................................................................................

ISSUE/QUESTION  THAT I HAVE HERE IS - - - - - - -

When CARL signed up, was he living in TEXAS at the time ??????????????
If so, the home of record on his DD-214  will have a TX address.
That is all he needs.

If it does not have a TEXAS address , sucks to be him - NOTHING HE CAN DO ABOUT IT..

That is what needs to be researched.................................................................................................

THey also said -
Carl Basham said officials at Austin Community College recently told him that he lost his Texas resident's status because of the years he spent out of state on two tours of duty in Iraq.
- WHAT ?????????????????????


BTW - - - -  None of my  time in the CORPS  was spent in  TX.
Some of it was in IRAQ, but not this time.

Quoted: My opinon/2 cents ---- The people working in the VA sections at both schools bent over backward and did everything they possibly could to take care of me and anyone else I know of down there. I HAD NO PROBLEMS GETTING THE VA and REDUCED TUITION. "My DD-214 said my home of record when I enter ed the CORPS  was MESQUITE, TX." THAT IS ALL THEY NEEDED................................................................................................. When CARL signed up, was he living in TEXAS at the time ?????????????? If so, the home of record on his DD-214  will have a TX address. That is all he needs. If it does not have a TEXAS address , sucks to be him - NOTHING HE CAN DO ABOUT IT..

 The VA counselors bent over backwards to help me also.  I was not living in Texas at the time I enlisted, didn't seem to matter to them at all.  The only thing I was not eligible for was the tuition grant from the state if I had enlisted while living in Texas.  I received the resident tuition rate and the VEAP, but not a reduced tuition.

mm

FYI - The info I posted above was taken from an article in Fox news on the web.

The story in the FW Startle-Gram said he was living in Louisiana when he joined up, so I guess his state of residence as far as the school is concerned is Louisiana.  I thought you could designate any state as your home state while you were on active duty?  I was outside of TX during my whole tour of duty (4 years) but got in-state tuition when I returned and enrolled.

I think the Leg ought to pass a law that any honorable discharged veteran who enrolls in a TX school within 4 years of his discharge can pay in-state tuition regardless of where he's from.  They could call it the "No Veteran Left Behind Act".

"Austin Community College recently told him that he lost his Texas resident's status because of the years he spent out of state on two tours of duty in Iraq"

It looks like he was a resident of Texas before he shipped out for his tour.  ACC decided he was no longer a resident because he was gone for two years.

That is still a load of crap.

Have him work with the VA folks.....he should still be qualified as a Texas Resident....

Tell him to push the issue.    I don't think you need if fire mission....besides, it would take longer to get it done than he has time to register for fall.  

IM me if you need more information...I'll try to help.

Jeff

Quoted: The story in the FW Startle-Gram said he was living in Louisiana when he joined up, so I guess his state of residence as far as the school is concerned is Louisiana.  I thought you could designate any state as your home state while you were on active duty?  I was outside of TX during my whole tour of duty (4 years) but got in-state tuition when I returned and enrolled. I think the Leg ought to pass a law that any honorable discharged veteran who enrolls in a TX school within 4 years of his discharge can pay in-state tuition regardless of where he's from.  They could call it the "No Veteran Left Behind Act".

Happened to me.  I was living in Ohio, went to visit my day in Oklahoma City.  Wrecked my ride back to Ohio.

Joined the army in OK.  When I got out, I was gonna go to Ohio State.  They said out of state student.  Oklahoma said in state, and so I graduated from Oklahoma State.

I shoulda been a Buckeye.

TXL

From what I have heard here in austin- He has acurrent texas drivers license and is registered to vote in travis county. He said he has had theese documents for longer then a year.

Also isn't there a federal law that was signed in back in 1998 that says non residents must be charged the same rate that illegals are charged for tuition? Illegals are charge at the residential rate BTW.

Quoted: The story in the FW Startle-Gram said he was living in Louisiana when he joined up, so I guess his state of residence as far as the school is concerned is Louisiana.  I thought you could designate any state as your home state while you were on active duty?  I was outside of TX during my whole tour of duty (4 years) but got in-state tuition when I returned and enrolled. I think the Leg ought to pass a law that any honorable discharged veteran who enrolls in a TX school within 4 years of his discharge can pay in-state tuition regardless of where he's from.  They could call it the "No Veteran Left Behind Act".

Well, if the address on his DD-214  says LOUISIANA .....

"Not trying to be a jerk, but oh well."

Sorry, but  SUCKS TO BE HIM.

All I ever heard when I went into both UT and ACC was they looked at the HOME OF RECORD address on the DD-214

As for the state passing a law every veteran a reduced tuition/HAZELWOOD ACT, then TEXAS would be flooded with people from out of state to reap the benefits that were put in place initially as a way to thank TEXANS who joined up.
So if they came in  and used the HAZELWOOD ACT -  your taxes would be used  to fund out of state college students.

" I love veterans , and especially MARINES -  hell I am BOTH - - - -   but being a veteran does not mean you are intitled to EVERYTHING FREE/REDUCED."  
If it did -
The VA programs would be looked at the same way people look at :
SOCIAL SECURITY..........................................  

good for him....

I am not veteran but as far as I am concerned and body who serves should get instate anywhere.