Congress should not have neglected college students

University of Idaho students were left out of each stimulus bill this past year, for Congress’ fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to be a college student and claimed as a dependent. 

Semantics and legal mumbo jumbo aside, Congress ultimately decided to exclude adult dependents and college students from receiving direct stimulus checks. For reasons that escape our understanding, it can be theorized this was to deliberately spend less money. But at what cost? 

All of us UI students deeply understand the financial struggles of maintaining adequate academia, social standards, physical and mental health and a part-time job. The verbiage of it all adds to the consistent societal neglect of our strife. Properly phrased, we are just students who work part-time jobs. Why would we need stimulus—we aren’t adults, right? 

Making the assumption that most college students go to an in-state, four-year, public university, they pay an average $21,216 a year for tuition and various fees, according to educationdata.org, $84,864 to obtain the coveted degree. In the worst-case scenario, a student who received no financial assistance and is paying for their college entirely would have to work a full-time job at $10 an hour to just break even. That is not possible. 

This analysis and realization reveal a variety of fundamental issues. Those aside, it is clear that we are not dependent. Financial assistance from our parents does not negate the insurmountable totality of college expenses. Those who can’t manage to work their way through their degree will leave college with a debt balance of $29,800, according to CNBC. 

When COVID-19 first surged, many college students were left out of work despite a growing list of bills to pay. It was clear, Congress and the current administration were not interested in recognizing those problems. This purposefully exclusion is un-American at best and inhumane at worst. 

Fortunately, there are steps that UI and other college students can take this year to receive the money they rightfully deserve. The Recovery Rebate Credit will disperse the original $1200 and $600 funds to those who did not receive it. To do so, when filing 2020 taxes either electronically or physically, there will be a worksheet in Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR that will work out how much funding you can receive. 

Furthermore, Biden’s administration has put forward a proposed $1.9 trillion stimulus bill that includes $1400 direct payments to independents and adult dependents, among various other benefits. 

Though there is a light at the end of the tunnel and newfound hope for us UI students, the damage has already been done. It has been 10 months since we were sent home. At its worst, that’s 10 months without a job for some students. That very thought, concept and reality is sickening and stifling to the core. 

We can only hope that future efforts will heal the scar left in our community, in all college communities. We can only hope Congress realizes college students are more than just dependents, we are human and we suffer just the same. 

The Editorial Board can be reached at [email protected].