V THE VIDETTE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2017 Vol. 130 / No. 28
videtteonline.com
Grad drag
THURSDAY BIRD SPECIAL
GOP tax reform plan could create financial troubles for graduate students ANDREW DOUGHERTY Political Reporter | @addough
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that passed in the GOPcontrolled House of Representatives would make tuition waivers for graduate students count as income, and thus become taxable income, causing concern among many graduate students at Illinois State University. The provision could create a tax obligation for graduate students that would exceed their college earnings. “People who graduate with a master’s degree usually make more than those with an undergraduate degree,” Kyle Quinn, graduate teaching assistant for quantitative reasoning and editorial assistant for the Political Departments Academic Journal, said. “Personally, I make $12,000 a year, so I’ll be taxed at a higher brack-
et. In reality, I would end up paying $25,000 in taxes. By them passing this kind of legislation, it discourages more people who want to go to graduate school, which in the long run makes less of the population making a higher income.” “Every department differs, but in ours we make $800 a month with our stipend, which covers rent, food, gas and other basic commodities,” Quinn said. “I’m still using my savings from money I’ve earned from working in construction, but other graduate students I know don’t have that option and have to take out loans to pay for school.” A graduate assistant’s responsibilities include filling in for professors when there is an emergency and cannot attend class, grading papers and entering grades and allowing professors to teach four or five courses at a time. They are also required to work 20 hours a week aside from the hours they put into their actual studies. “If this tax bill passes, there won’t be as many students going to graduate school, which would lead to classes being cut meaning less attendance and the prospect of having to hire new teachers which our budget can’t afford,” Quinn said. see GOP page 3
Senior broadcast journalism major Ally Christiani reads about the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Wednesday in Milner Library. Photo illustration by NATALIE STUCKSLAGER | VIDETTE PHOTO EDITOR
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