We are pleased and grateful the tax bill passed by Congress no longer includes a number of higher education provisions, including the taxation of graduate tuition remissions, consolidation of certain education-related tax credits, and the elimination of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction.

However, we remain deeply concerned about the downstream effects this legislation may have on the ability of state and local governments to fund public higher education. The limits placed on the SALT deduction, as well as the legislation’s impact on charitable giving—which is another important non-tuition source of support for public colleges—may usher in tuition-hikes and escalate student debt at public institutions.  

AASCU is a Washington, D.C.-based higher education association of 400 public colleges, universities, and systems whose members share a learning- and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to underserved student populations, and a dedication to research and creativity that advances their regions’ economic progress and cultural development. These are institutions Delivering America’s Promise of Opportunities for All.