Editorial: State must not renege on promise

Wednesday, June 4, 2003 | 9:02 a.m.

Gov. Kenny Guinn received accolades four years ago when he announced the state's signature use of its tobacco settlement money -- Millennium Scholarships at state universities and colleges for high school students in Nevada who graduate with a B average or above. In the many households where a college education means a financial burden, the news came as a godsend. The announcement especially served as motivation for students who were then freshmen or still in middle school.

Now Nevada is telling its graduates that many of them won't be getting a scholarship, no matter how hard they've worked the past four years to qualify. The new application form has a little box in which American citizens may place a check mark. Non-citizens must leave it blank. Any student who must leave the box blank will also be blanked on a scholarship. Four years ago the state promised all of its high-achieving students a reward. Now, without so much as an apology, the state is telling them it's changing the rules.

This means that noncitizens, who for years have counted on the financial help, are suddenly nonentities in the Millennium Scholarship program. That's what the state is saying. Well, here's what we say: This is a travesty and Guinn should intervene immediately to halt this perverse interpretation of his program.

Treasurer Brian Krolicki argues that the citizenship checkoff is suddenly necessary because of a federal law passed three years before Guinn announced the scholarship. He's just finding out about it? His debatable interpretation of the law is that if noncitizens get a scholarship as well as Nevada's in-state tuition rate, students all over the country will also be eligible for the in-state rate and scholarship. Although not even remotely an issue since the scholarship program began, he is suddenly fearing the specter of "millions" of out-of-state students rushing to Nevada. He is suddenly fearing lawsuits. And we are suddenly fearing for Nevada's good name. A promise is a promise. The affected students worked hard. They are residents of Nevada, most of them having lived here practically their whole lives. They've earned their scholarships. Don't take them away.