By The Associated Press
A lawsuit has resulted in proposed new state guidelines that colleges not charge South Carolina high school graduates who are U.S. citizens out-of-state tuition rates solely because they cannot prove their parents are in the country legally.
The Commission on Higher Education’s proposed recommendations come after the Southern Poverty Law Center sued in June. The lawsuit alleges the state unconstitutionally denies college scholarships and forces students to pay out of state-tuition even though they’ve lived in the state for years.
Law Center attorney Michelle Lapointe told The Associated Press that students named in the lawsuit were able to enroll in college this semester paying in-state rates. She hopes the guidelines clear up the matter for other qualified, aspiring college students.
The agency’s governing board will vote on the guidelines Thursday.
