Last month, Congress introduced the House Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, tax reform legislation that among other things, would count graduate student tuition waivers as taxable income. While many graduate students receive small stipends for their work at the university to cover their living expenses, the greater benefit is that their tuition is waived. The House’s plan would increase these students’ tax burden exponentially — without any increase in income. Like universities across the country, FAU is concerned about the effect this would have on our graduate students’ ability to complete their degrees.

Graduate students must balance the demands of their coursework and research, while also providing an invaluable service to the university as teaching assistants. These students work hard in their academic pursuits and sacrifice much for their education. If this bill passes, it may make the dream of a master’s or doctoral degree unattainable for many of these dedicated students.

The Senate is scheduled to vote on this issue today. We will watch with interest and provide updates when available.

UPDATE: The Bill was passed by the Senate early Saturday morning by a vote of 51 to 49.