Considering higher education, it is understood that there can be considerable costs associated with attending college or university. Between tuition, books, rent, food, transportation and loan fees, not to mention other personal expenses, the bills for students can rack up quickly. This is not news to any of us here on campus, especially for out-of-state students whose expenses can average $15,000 more per year than in-state students. Though that seems an incredible gap, the rationale for charging students coming from other parts of the country more is not unfounded. Like hospitals and police and fire departments, public universities are also funded with taxpayer money. This assumes then that in-state students and their parents have, on some level, helped to fund the campus through their residency and employment in the local workforce.
Out-of-state students belong to a population outside of the university’s tax pool, so for every out-of-state student they accept, they must ask for more upfront in tuition costs to balance the spreadsheet. Typically, there are scholarships and other forms of subsidization to assist with this higher cost of education.
Students who choose to attend out-of-state schools should be aware of their commitment and should be willing to pay the increased costs for any number of reasons. For example, the university may offer a program that is noted for being specifically well designed and taught, it may have a reputation and clout that comes with earning a degree from a well-known school (the Colleges of Engineering or Veterinary Medicine are two examples at N.C. State), or perhaps the student just wants to get away from home.
But what about those who don’t get to choose where they are moved? I am referring to the veteran population. The way members of the armed services are taxed in North Carolina, as laid out by the North Carolina Department of Revenue, is based on physical presence, location of bank accounts and property and income taxes. Typically, taxes on property and income are based on residency, so if a service member’s permanent address, such as the one on his or her driver’s license, is from another state, he or she pays taxes to that state. Anyone who is familiar with the military knows that more often than not, military members are not asked where they would like to be stationed. Orders are given and followed.
This becomes an issue when a veteran stationed in North Carolina is discharged or attempts to take classes while on active duty at a community college or university and now has to pay out-of-state tuition. North Carolina is one of eight states that don’t currently offer exemptions for military service in this manner, according to Eric Mennel at WUNC. In a state where the military population, active, retired and dependent, is expected to grow by as much as 60,000 as wars in Iraq and Afghanistan wind down, this is a problem.
Citizens in military service already give up an enormous amount of time and energy to serve the country. Yet, despite this, they are expected to pay more for the higher education that may be necessary for them to find employment outside of military service or even for promotions within their own respective branch.
The GI Bill does provide some relief, but even what it covers can be limited in some cases, particularly out-of-state tuition. Even with the “support-our-troops” movement, I would expect more from the state in this regard. As it turns out, there is now a bill proposed by Gov. Pat McCrory to allow for such an exemption, but the bill must be approved by state legislatures because it deals with budgeting. I urge you, especially those of you with ties to the military, to contact your representatives and let them know you support this bill to allow an affordable education for those who have served.
Send your thoughts to Richard at [email protected].
