Who will pay up?

Letter date: 
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Letter publisher: 
democratherald.com
Letter author: 
David Olen Cross
Letter body: 

Oregonians looking at the future cost of attending, and the funding of, Oregon’s public four-year colleges and universities should be concerned about state Rep. Sara Gelser’s support of House Bill 2787 that would grant in-state tuition for international students illegally in the country.

Crunching some numbers from Oregon State University for years 2012-2013, the estimated undergraduate tuition and fees (15 credits per term) for an Oregon resident is $8,139 per year, while an international student is $22,323 per year.

Under HB 2787, OSU would be required to cut individual tuition and fees for illegal international students attending the university by $14,184 per year.

The result of the legislation becoming law, OSU would lose over a four-year period for every illegal international student attending the university $56,736.

Rep. Gelser’s support of in-state tuition for illegal international students reveals a state legislator lacking a sense of fiduciary responsibility to her voting constituents and, moreover, the state’s higher education system.

Oregonians should contact Rep. Gelser (Rep.SaraGelser@state.or.us) and ask her the following question: “Representative, who is going to make up the tuition shortfall at Oregon’s public four-year colleges and universities if in-state tuition for international students illegally in the country becomes law?”