The Arizona Board of Regents voted 9-1 to enact sweeping changes to the Regents High Honors Scholarship. 

The scholarship provides a full tuition waiver for students who are able to receive ””exceeds”” designation in all three categories of the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) test.  

These new changes will take place in the academic year of 2013-2014, when the award will be reduced to 25 percent of tuition, with the option to add more merit-based aid at university discretion, and ACT and SAT I scores will become a component of the criteria. Students will have to earn above a 28 on the ACT or above a 1300 on the SAT I in order to qualify for the award.

The proposed changes are projected to save universities in Arizona approximately $4 million annually.

As is the case with the current scholarship, this 25 percent award will be locked in at the rate of tuition paid during a student’s freshman year and will not rise in amount regardless of possible changes in tuition.

The only dissenting vote was cast by Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne. 

“”I regret that I have but one vote to cast against this measure,”” he said.