As the U.S. Senate prepares to take up its version of a major tax overhaul in the coming weeks, one provision in the House plan is raising concerns among graduate students.
Under the House bill, which has already passed, grad students who receive tuition waivers for teaching or researching would see those waivers taxed. That could create a major new expense for those students.
Currently, about 1,500 graduate students attend the University of Vermont, and about 500 of those receive tuition waivers for teaching or research. That's according to Cindy Forehand, the dean of the graduate college at UVM. Forehand says if the provision in the House bill passes, it would be more difficult for lower- and middle-class students to attend certain graduate programs.
UVM Professor Cindy Forehand spoke to VPR's Henry Epp. Listen to their conversation above.