Graduate assistants help teach classes, run the administration, assist in research, facilitate athletics, conduct their own research, and numerous other valuable tasks to facilitate the mission of the university.

The stipend that is received in return comes in two parts:

1) Your tuition is waived either entirely or cut by half. If you are an out of state student, this can be a value of over $30,000 per year. Right now this value is not taxed.

2) There is a stipend which is intended to barely cover the cost of living, and for me is approx. $800 per month.

The republicans plan would be to include the $30,000 in tuition waiver along with the $800 per month in my taxable income. And such the question becomes where am I going to get $7,500 to pay my taxes.