Thousands of small blue survey cards are being distributed around the UA, Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University over the next two weeks in an effort to protest the proposed tuition increases for next school year.

The cards are being distributed by the Associated Students of the University of Arizona and the Arizona Students’ Association in classrooms and on the UA Mall. The cards give students the opportunity to express their support for ASA’s proposal, which includes freezing tuition rates and instead increasing state funding of universities.

“”This is visual proof that students are here in numbers to support the plan – to stand behind this plan,”” said Chris Nagata, ASA board secretary. “”There is strength in numbers, and what better way to show it’s a real powerful presence. We have a visual, tangible way to measure student support.””

The cards will be distributed until Nov. 29, when the Arizona Board of Regents holds a public tuition hearing, Nagata said.

The cards will be compiled and displayed during the hearing to show student support to legislators and regents.

“”It’s really important that students come to the Nov. 29 tuition hearing,”” said Serena Unrein, ASA executive director. “”The more students who are engaged and involved in tuition-setting, the more likely it is they will be heard.””

The meeting will

be held at four locations simultaneously, one of which is Room 211 of the Harvill building from 5-7 p.m.

President Robert Shelton’s tuition proposal includes a $450 increase for in-state students and a $2,350 increase for out-of-state students.

There is also a proposed $80 annual student services fee that would fund programs such as campus safety and campus health.

ASA’s two-part tuition proposal would first freeze tuition rates at their current levels, then implement a conditional 5 percent increase in state funding to Arizona’s public universities, said Tommy Bruce, ASUA president.

The state Senate will determine whether to fund the proposed funding increase in June, when it sets the state budget for the next fiscal year, Bruce said.

The second part of the proposal involves a long-term plan for ABOR to create a tuition task force made up of students, administrators and regents, said Michael Slugocki, ASUA representative to ASA.

The task force “”would analyze how we can better fix the tuition problem,”” Slugocki said.

ASA and ASUA have been on the Mall and hosting “”class rap”” sessions in major lecture classes since early November to explain to students the tuition proposals, and to generate support for ASA’s plan, Nagata said.

So far, nearly 4,500 cards have been distributed, nearly 2,500 of which at the UA, he said.

ASUA has also held several student-aimed tuition focus groups to feedback on the proposals, Bruce said.

ASUA is also putting together a YouTube video featuring student response to the proposals, he said, adding that it will be available online and presented to ABOR during the hearing.

ASUA will also be taking students to the actual tuition voting session on Dec. 6 at Arizona State, Bruce said.