> Skip to content
FEATURED:
  • Student Success Resource Center
Sign In
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
Sign In
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
Sign In
ADVERTISEMENT
Graduate Students
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Show more sharing options
Share
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Copy Link URLCopied!
  • Print

8 Grad Students Are Arrested Protesting the GOP Tax Bill on Capitol Hill

By  Adam Harris
December 5, 2017
Washington
Graduate students and their supporters gathered on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to protest a provision in the House of Representatives’ tax bill that would tax as income the tuition waivers graduate students receive.
Chronicle photo by Adam Harris
Graduate students and their supporters gathered on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to protest a provision in the House of Representatives’ tax bill that would tax as income the tuition waivers graduate students receive.

Ben Groebe was frightened when he read that a tax plan recently passed by Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives included a provision that would effectively tax as income the tuition waivers graduate students receive to help pay for their studies.

So Mr. Groebe, a graduate student in astrophysics at Washington University in St. Louis, traveled here on Tuesday, along with dozens of graduate students and supporters from across the country, to protest outside of the office of the House speaker, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

We’re sorry. Something went wrong.

We are unable to fully display the content of this page.

The most likely cause of this is a content blocker on your computer or network. Please make sure your computer, VPN, or network allows javascript and allows content to be delivered from c950.chronicle.com and chronicle.blueconic.net.

Once javascript and access to those URLs are allowed, please refresh this page. You may then be asked to log in, create an account if you don't already have one, or subscribe.

If you continue to experience issues, contact us at 202-466-1032 or help@chronicle.com

Graduate students and their supporters gathered on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to protest a provision in the House of Representatives’ tax bill that would tax as income the tuition waivers graduate students receive.
Chronicle photo by Adam Harris
Graduate students and their supporters gathered on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to protest a provision in the House of Representatives’ tax bill that would tax as income the tuition waivers graduate students receive.

Ben Groebe was frightened when he read that a tax plan recently passed by Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives included a provision that would effectively tax as income the tuition waivers graduate students receive to help pay for their studies.

So Mr. Groebe, a graduate student in astrophysics at Washington University in St. Louis, traveled here on Tuesday, along with dozens of graduate students and supporters from across the country, to protest outside of the office of the House speaker, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.

The tax on tuition waivers, Mr. Groebe told The Chronicle, would make graduate students’ income look markedly higher on paper that it actually is. “That means that the taxes are going to be prohibitively expensive,” he said, “and that’s going to make it too difficult for many of us to carry on, and we may have to drop out.”

Higher-education groups have fiercely opposed the proposed tax on tuition waivers, which appears in the House plan, but not in the Senate version.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I’ve already sunk several years of my life’s work into this. I’m getting ready to conduct research, and I teach students every semester from start till finish,” said Scott Ross, a third-year doctoral student in anthropology at George Washington University. “I’ve put a lot of work into this, and to have to throw that all away because some Republicans don’t like universities is really upsetting.”

The protesters wore “Fighting for the Future of Higher Ed” shirts and makeshift armbands that read #GOPTaxScam, referring to a popular hashtag opposing the tax bills in the House and Senate.

U.S. Capitol Police officers awaited their arrival, standing outside of Speaker Ryan’s office with plastic cuffs, anticipating potential arrests.

The group knocked on Speaker Ryan’s door.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We know you’re in there,” one protester said.

“It’s the American public,” said another.

“And a Wisconsinite!” shouted still another from the back of the group.

When the knocks went unanswered, a group of students sat down, and began chanting. “Kill the bill!” the group exclaimed.

The Capitol Police warned the protesters that if they did not cease and desist, they would be arrested, as the officers began to usher those who were not seated toward the elevators. The chants continued.

ADVERTISEMENT

After several warnings, the officers began to detain those who were seated and protesting, walking them toward the stairs to be processed. Eight graduate students were arrested, along with one supporter.

Mr. Groebe was among those arrested.

Adam Harris is a breaking-news reporter. Follow him on Twitter @AdamHSays or email him at adam.harris@chronicle.com.

We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
Graduate Education
Adam Harris
Adam Harris, a staff writer at The Atlantic, was previously a reporter at The Chronicle of Higher Education and covered federal education policy and historically Black colleges and universities. He also worked at ProPublica.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Related Content

  • Graduate Students Mobilize ‘to Stop Something That Can Ruin Us’
  • Tax Reform That Students, Colleges, and Our Country Can’t Afford
  • Passage of Senate Tax-Reform Bill Leaves Colleges Scrambling
  • Explore
    • Get Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Professional Development
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Find a Job
    Explore
    • Get Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Professional Development
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Find a Job
  • The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • DEI Commitment Statement
    • Write for Us
    • Talk to Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • User Agreement
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Site Map
    • Accessibility Statement
    The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • DEI Commitment Statement
    • Write for Us
    • Talk to Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • User Agreement
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Site Map
    • Accessibility Statement
  • Customer Assistance
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Post a Job
    • Advertising Terms and Conditions
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
    Customer Assistance
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Post a Job
    • Advertising Terms and Conditions
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Subscribe
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Institutional Subscriptions
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Manage Your Account
    Subscribe
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Institutional Subscriptions
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Manage Your Account
1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037
© 2023 The Chronicle of Higher Education
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • facebook
  • linkedin