Freshman and Minnesota native Krista Adler was relieved to know she would not have to pay higher tuition to come to UW-Eau Claire last fall.

“I liked what (Eau Claire) had to offer,” she said. “But there’s no way I would’ve came here if the reciprocity agreement didn’t exist.”

Minnesota students like Adler pay $3,362 for tuition under the reciprocity agreement. A student from a state other than Minnesota would pay $10,780.

But Minnesota students attending Eau Claire would be forced to pay the out-of-state tuition fees under a bill outlined earlier this month by Minnesota Rep. Joe Opatz. The bill would get rid of reciprocity agreements not only with Wisconsin, but also North Dakota and South Dakota. The bill doesn’t require Wisconsin residents to pay out-of-state tuition at Minnesota schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect first in 2002.

Vice chancellor Andy Soll said his understanding of the bill is that Minnesota students already enrolled or accepted to Wisconsin schools would not be affected by the bill.

Adler, of Anoka, Minn., said she thinks the reciprocity agreement in existence is good. Since she has relatives in Eau Claire and felt like she knew the city, the university stood out above other schools she looked at, including those in Minnesota. Adler is undecided, but is interested in education, so she said Eau Claire’s school of education was another reason for her choice.

The university’s enrollment is about 15 percent Minnesota students.

Eau Claire’s location to Minnesota is one reason why many Minnesota students attend Eau Claire, Soll said, adding that if students wanted to attend a school with programs like UW-Madison’s, most would attend the University of Minnesota.

“If passed, I don’t think this bill would have a significant impact,” he said. “But I’m not in favor of it.”

State lines are really arbitrary, he said. If a student isn’t going that far from home, but has to pay a lot more in fees, it doesn’t make sense.

“The (reciprocity program) as is,” he said, “is a great idea and a great program.”