Colleges would lose funds as a result of bill

Oregonians looking at the future cost of attending — furthermore, the funding of — Oregon’s public four-year colleges and universities should be concerned about state Sen. Peter Courtney’s legislation (Senate Bill 10) that would grant instate tuition for international students illegally in the country.

Crunching some numbers from the senator’s employer, at Western Oregon University, for years 2012-2013, the estimated undergraduate tuition and fees (15 credits per term) for an Oregon resident is $8,529 per year, while an international student is $21,114 per year.

Under SB10, WOU would be required to cut individual tuition and fees costs for illegal international students attending the university by $12,585 per year.

As a result of the legislation becoming law, WOU would lose over a four-year period for every illegal international student attending the university $50,340.

Sen. Courtney’s support of instate tuition for illegal international students reveals a state legislator lacking a sense of fiduciary responsibility to his employer, his voting constituents and, moreover, the state’s higher education system.

Oregonians should contact Sen. Courtney and ask him the following question: Senator, who is going to make up the tuition shortfall at Oregon’s public four-year colleges and universities if instate tuition for international students illegally in the country becomes law?

David Olen Cross

Salem