Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,

Like many of you, we have been following the process and details of the tax reform legislation being debated by our elected representatives in Washington, D.C. The House of Representatives recently passed its version of tax reform legislation and the full Senate is set to begin debating its version this week. Should the Senate legislation pass, the House and Senate will need to resolve their differences before a final bill is approved.

There are a number of concerning aspects to the legislation passed in the House that would hinder the ability of universities to make higher education more accessible and affordable. This includes provisions that would end the tax deduction for interest on student loans and a repeal of the tax exemption for tuition remission or waivers, a move that would immediately harm university faculty, staff and dependents.

We are working with higher education associations like the American Council on Education (ACE), the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and the Independent Colleges of Washington to oppose provisions that would make it harder for undergraduate and graduate students and families to afford higher education. Specific information about the legislation can be found on the ACE Tax Reform and Higher Education webpage. We encourage you to keep up-to-date with developments.

ACE has a great tool to share your views with your elected representatives in the House and Senate here and we encourage you to customize the message and let your voice be heard. Thank you for your attention and effort in support of higher education and Seattle University.

Sincerely,

Stephen V. Sundborg, S.J.
President