I got a fun email from the University of Washington today. This letter relates to my second-year tuition. UW being a State school, tuition is less expensive for Washington State residents than it is for non-residents. Traditionally, second-year graduate students can apply to register as if they were residents, thereby paying a substantially reduced tuition. "Substantially" as in "the amount of money I pay would be cut by more than half."
Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. UW changed their policy so that now the only way to get the reduced tuition is to prove actual, non-education-related residence in Washington State. I can't think of a reason for them to do this other than money and that just pisses me off. Of course a University is a corporation; I know that. They have to make money to survive. But is it strictly necessary to penalize the people who've uprooted their entire lives to go study with you? Sure, many of us are there only because of school. But we still rent apartments, buy food and gas, go out to bars and restaurants, see movies and shows and pay taxes. What else does a person need to do to be a resident of someplace?
As it happens, the email told me. I'd have to be, I'm told an "active member of the community" or demonstrate "community ties." This can include "the purchase of real property, children in local schools, a partner or spouse employed locally, and roots in the community such as local clubs or organizations, or local volunteer internships."
Obviously I can't afford to buy property and I don't have children or a partner or spouse. I'd considered getting involved a bit with the writing community while I was out there, maybe helping out the folks who organize Westercon or Clarion West, but that's an unlikely plan at best. Westercon won't be in Seattle for at least two years (likely more) and Clarion's a sort of odd bug, being a writer's workshop. I have every intention of getting involved with some of the museums out there (Seattle Asian Art Museum and Experience Science Fiction say what?), but given my course of study that's academic work, not voluntary. I'll have friends out there, of course, and some of them (the delightful Jeni Garber, for example) will even be unrelated to school. But will that be enough?
I fuckin' hope so.