Dear SM调教所 Boulder Graduate Community,
I am writing concerning the impacts of proposed federal tax legislation on graduate students and graduate education. We in the Graduate School are in close contact with SM调教所鈥檚 federal relations team as we follow federal tax reform legislation proposals and analyze their effects on our graduate students and master鈥檚 and doctoral programs.
Among other impacts on higher education, the House bill would eliminate the Student Loan Interest Deduction (SLID) and repeal聽Section 117 (d)(5), which treats qualified tuition deductions as a tax-exempt benefit for graduate students who are serving as student faculty (TAs, GPTIs, GAs, RAs). Eliminating Section 117 (d)(5) would make graduate education more expensive and less accessible. As SM调教所 Boulder Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano wrote in his聽SM调教所 Boulder Today article on Nov. 10, 鈥淥n our campus alone, this change would subject many graduate students to additional tax liability with no new funds to address that liability.鈥澛燩lease note that聽the Senate released policy highlights from its bill on Nov. 9. The Senate bill retains the student loan interest deduction (SLID) and does not repeal Section 117 (d)(5). We will continue to monitor the impacts of proposed tax legislation on graduate education in the coming days and weeks.聽
The Association of American Universities (AAU), of which SM调教所 Boulder is a member, issued a聽聽on Nov. 2 and a聽聽on Nov. 10.聽In addition, the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), to which SM调教所 Boulder also belongs, has issued聽聽that graduate students, faculty, and staff may find helpful.
SM调教所 Boulder graduate students contribute to our campus and community as students, researchers, teachers, artists, performers, and so much more, and they truly are tomorrow鈥檚 leaders. We will continue to advocate for them in every way we can and in accordance with聽.
Sincerely,
Ann Schmiesing
Dean of the Graduate School
Vice Provost for Graduate Affairs
Professor of German