For years, the state Senate promoted and protected the free UNC tuition taxpayers grant graduates of the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics.
Kay Hagan, a former state senator from Greensboro who is now in the U.S. Senate, was the free tuition creator and champion, Lynn Bonner reports.
But it looks like the Science and Math grads' free ride may not survive Hagan's move to Washington, Lynn Bonner reports.
The tuition offer is on the chopping block.
The Senate's proposed budget calls for phasing out the tuition offer, making this year's graduates the last to benefit. Science and Math is a state-run boarding school based in Durham for students from around the state.
More after the jump.
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The Senate budget proposes to pay tuition for all Math and Science grads who are still enrolled at UNC schools.
House members have tried to get rid of the deal for years, saying that it is unfair for students to receive full scholarships solely on the basis of where they went to high school.
Robert R. Gardner, a retired lawyer in Raleigh, has been working for years to get legislators to drop the free tuition for Science and Math grads.
He's sent e-mails to legislators and a letter to Gov. Beverly Perdue on the grant's unfairness.
"If the law of justice is done, it ought to be done on merit, not on the school they go to."
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Re: Free tuition deal may be cut
As a taxpayer, I much rather give free tuition to real
students enrolled in the NC School of Science and
Mathematics than the tuition break NC gives the UNC System
athletes and the 1.3 million subsidy the Dean Dome gets
every year.
Support academics and real students by keeping the free
tuition for School of Science and Math grads but get rid
of the fake students on the sports teams.