They backed the state Board of Regents' budget and wish list for state-owned colleges and universities, and then presented their own list of priorities on Capitol Hill, such as pushing for more academic advisers, increasing financial aid for low-income students and funding to support the state's inter-library loan program.

"In the past, we played the 'Oh, don't raise our tuition' to the point that we weren't as effective as we would like to be," said Happiness Peterson, a junior at Utah Valley State College in Orem.

"We decided to change our strategy," Peterson said, adding that students still will continue to advocate lower tuition.

At this point in the 2005 legislative session - it ends March 2 - public college students still don't know how big a tuition hit they will see next year. Regents don't know either. They opted to see how well higher education will fare when state dollars are divvied up over the next few weeks.

The students' new strategy included the hiring of Carrie Flamm as executive director of the Utah Student Association - an organization made up of student leaders from Utah public schools, along with Brigham Young University, Westminster College and LDS Business College. Flamm is housed at the state Board of Regents offices in Salt Lake City, and her salary is paid out of student fees.

"There may come a time when we disagree," Flamm said of her ties to both students and Regents. "But we have a good relationship . . . so they [Regents] understand the dynamic of my job."

Her job: Work full time with student leaders, conduct research and lobby legislators.

A 2004 Weber State University graduate, Flamm is no stranger to representing students' issues. She has served as the student representative on the Higher Education Assistant Authority Board and was the administrative assistant for the University Council of Studentbody Presidents.

She said her first task prior to this year's session was to get a consensus on student priorities.

They included:

* $2 million to hire more academic advisers.

* $1.5 million in need-based financial aid.

* $500,000 to support the state's inter-library loan program.

Except for the call to hire more advisers, all of the students' priorities are included in the Regents' budget.

"Good [academic] advising on every campus will help students know what they need to do, what classes they should take and graduate sooner," Flamm told the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee earlier this month.

Jayson Estrada, student president at Westminster College, acknowledged that much of the students' legislative platform is directed toward public schools. But when it comes to the availability of financial aid for Utah students, public and private are on the same level, he said.

Subcommittee co-chair Rep. Kory Holdaway applauded students for bringing their priorities forward. "Students are the reason we're here," said the Taylorsville Republican.

Students learned last week that there will be little, if any, money for additional academic advisers. So Flamm said the new focus is to work with administrators at each campus and see what can be done to help cut down on the five or six years it now takes for many Utah students to get a four-year degree. At this stage of the Legislature, Flamm declined to put a grade on how well the students fared with lawmakers under the new strategy. She did say, however, that students found many lawmakers "open and willing to take time" to hear what student had to say.

"We presented a united and organized message," Flamm said. "Students can be proud of what we're doing."

sykes@sltrib.com