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I found Ed Schrader's article regarding tuition equalization grants (Sunday's Viewpoint section) to be entirely self-serving and rather sophomoric for a university president. Unfortunately, it isn't surprising for an academic to show this "what can the taxpayer do for me?" attitude.
His reasoning that these grants actually pay for themselves as a result of the grantees being able to get higher-paying jobs, thus paying higher taxes, conveniently ignores that many of them do not stay and work in Georgia. Therefore we are subsidizing other state's tax revenues.
Here's an idea: Why don't we "loan" these students the funds instead of just "granting" it? When they get these high-paying jobs Mr. Schrader assures us they will, they will be more than able to repay the loan with interest, even if they work in that economic juggernaut of North Carolina.
Better yet, why doesn't Brenau University step up and "front" the funding to the student and let them pay it back when they enter the work force? Keep taxpayers out of it altogether. This process is win-win. The student gets a private education and the taxpayers get a revenue stream that is renewable. It worked for my kids, even though they went to a government school.
Put your hand back in your own pocket, Mr. Schrader: Let the students pay their own way.
Thomas Reiter
Gainesville