Sometimes great things come to those who wait. The tuition tax credit promised to American students by Barack Obama may not be quite as beneficial as originally planned, yet. Instead of a $4,000 tax credit per year with 100 hours of community service, there is only a $2,500 tax credit with no community service requirement.

However, the policy does instruct the education secretary and treasury secretary to complete a feasibility study of requiring community service of college students, which is a major step in the right direction. The tax credit is under the stimulus bill, named the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, that Obama signed in February. This credit will only last two years and if it is to continue, Obama will need to present it before the legislation again. Perhaps it can be raised to the originally proposed plan at that time. How do you feel about volunteering to “work” off your tuition? Is it worth waiting for?

Karen Michelle Dobson Zamora

graduate student