From: Robert Carothers <muskrat@uri.edu>

Date: Fri, 01 Mar 2002 10:51:55 -0500

To: "C.B. Peters" <cbp@uri.edu>, Janett@uri.edu, wrosen@chm.uri.edu, cygnet@uri.edu,rcr3@uri.edu

Cc: KMallon@uri.edu, LindaB@uriacc.uri.edu, destark@uri.edu

Subject: Senate resolution on residency status for graduate students

Ladies and Gentlemen, I wanted to make you aware as soon as possible that Iwill not be able to approve the resolution passed by the Senate yesterday, at least as it was last stated. I understand the concept and the intent, but to approach this problem in terms of enacting a procedure for establishing residency for a specific group of students and not for others is not viable. Residency requirements and procedures for establishing residency must be uniform for all students at the University (and probably for all students under the jurisdiction of the Board of Governors). I don't believe the concept as it has been articulated, even if approved by me and then by the Board of Governors, would withstand a court challenge.

I understand that the Graduate Council and the Council for Research seek to find a way to encourage faculty members to employ graduate students rather than post-doctoral fellows with funds from their research grants. I understand that the non-resident tuition charged against the grant makes the employment of graduate students more expensive and grant applications less competitive. I urge you, however, to return to the drawing boards and to propose a solution to the problem that does not create different classes of graduate students for whom different residency rules would apply.

In doing so, I would also urge you not to focus on issues of tuition income to the University. If you find a concept that is fair and equitable, I believe that the Board can set a level of tuition that would balance the policy objectives you seek with the need for revenue in our graduate and research programs. Any such change, however, would be effective in FY04, not in the coming academic year.

I will respond in this way to the Faculty Senate legislation when it is transmitted to me.

RLC