Yesterday during the Joint Legislative Appropriations Subcommittee on
Education?s morning meeting, Rep. George Cleveland, R-14, took to task
state legislators and their budgetary priorities. Specifically,
Cleveland directed his comments towards the tuition scholarship grant
program that allows out-of-state students to be counted as in-state
students if they receive a full scholarship. The provision, which was
included in the budget last year, costs taxpayers about $5.2 million
and is expected to grow.
When the provision was passed, it was viewed upon as a gift to
UNC-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University and its athletic
boosters because they would get savings on how much money the
scholarships would cost them. According to documents presented in the
meeting, 311 athletes are now in-state residents because of this plan.
“I have no problem with education at all or I wouldn?t be sitting
here,” Cleveland said. “I do have a problem with taxpayers supporting
things they should not be supporting. I strongly feel this is one of
them. We should address it and change it.”
If you?re an out-of-state resident you should pay an out-of-state rate.
As a West Virginia native, had I decided to have gone to UNC-Chapel
Hill, I would not have expected to pay in-state tuition nor should I
have. Groups like the Wolfpack Club and others that benefited from this
provision can more than afford
the money for out-of-state scholarships.
But not everyone understands Cleveland?s point. Sen. John Garwood said he doesn?t want Cleveland?s recommendations considered.
?It would take money from a lot of needy students,? Garwood said. ?I want us to be very careful with how we treat this.?
Cleveland followed with this.
?These students had their tuition covered prior to this year,?
Cleveland said. ?There was no problem getting their tuition covered.”