Combat vet denied in-state tuition in NC
Hayleigh Perez, 26, was stationed at Fort Bragg when she wasn’t deployed to Iraq. While she and her husband were transferred to Texas, they continued to pay taxes on the Raeford, N.C. house where they’d lived since 2006. Well, when her husband was moved back to Bragg, she decided to apply for colleges after she’d got out of the Army and she was accepted at UNC-Pembroke, but they won’t give her an in-state tuition break because of the brief move to Texas. Did I mention that they still owned and paid taxes on their home in NC? I thought I did. She told Fox News;
“I just figured I could appeal the decision,” Perez said. “I thought it would be easy.”
But Perez said the appeal process consisted of appearing before a 15-member panel at the school’s vice chancellor’s office, where her request was denied. She said she later learned that the denial was based on the fact that she had not paid income tax in North Carolina in the years in which she was in Iraq and Texas.
“The process was demeaning. They [Pembroke] treated me so poorly I felt like I was a criminal on trial,” she said. “They told me I couldn’t reapply.”
But that’s not whole kick-in-the-teeth;
Adding insult to injury, says [Sgt. Jason Thigpen, founder and president of the Student Veterans Advocacy Group], is the fact the UNC is currently considering granting in-state tuition benefits to illegal immigrants at all 16 of its branches, including Pembroke.
Yep, illegal aliens could qualify for in-state tuition, while combat veterans who deploy won’t. That makes perfect sense.
“I’m now attending a private college,” she said, declining to name the school. “I don’t want to be associated with an institution that treats veterans this way.”
That’s Pembroke’s loss.
Category: Veterans Issues
I would tell the bureaucrats at UNC-Pembroke the same thing my dad used to say about his time in Vietnam and the “return fire” he would get from kids when he would give them C-rat peanut butter instead of candy:
“That boo-shit. You numbah 10!”
Just follow the money, and you’ll see why the illegals are getting preference. There’s Big Gubermint written all over this.
Sanity check: wouldn’t the Military Spouse Reseidency Relief Act also help her out since she is also a Military Spouse or is that just for taxes and voting???
Also most schools, but apparently not NC, will almost always grant in-state for militay spouses (just like military members), you may have to ask, but most will.
-Ish
For fuck’s sake. IMO, any institution that’s receiving Fed dollars should be REQUIRED to offer in-state tuition to any combat vet who applies, even if they’ve never set foot in that state before reporting for class.
If this were me, I’d be on the horn right away to my Congress Critters, and especially my state legislators and the governor’s office.
If nothing else, make certain that this whole issue stays in the press for as long as possible so the voters can let the University system understand just how they feel about granting illegals special privileges while denying a veteran.
Ok … so I read this one very slowly … so I think I got it.
Lets review. So a combat veteran whose HOME OF RECORD or at least HOME STATE (where she owns a house) applies for in state tution … because their house in the state.
In addition, probably had a income tax waiver, due to active duty status associated with a transfer to duty in another state (but I don’t know that … and yes you guessed it, I am not an CPA).
So for one reason or another it is denied because the panel of academics really wants a big law suit. In addition, as they are denying her in state tuition, they are giving in state tuition to illegal aliens (oops … I meant to say undocumented alien non-citizens who enjoy full rights and benefits of citizenship).
I can see, smell, and taste her winning a big fat law suit, while she takes a shot at the generation of “IT IS NOT MY FAULT THAT MY PARENT(S) CAME HERE ILLEGALLY AND NOW I HAVE ALL THE BENEFITS I WILL EVER NEEDERS”.
I think I got it ….
Great points here so far.
Expect so much more from the Tarheel State.
Come on, bubbas- fix this and the ivory tower libs at UNC-Pembroke. Especially the academics that sat on her review board and gave her the “thumbs down”.
Did they not think this would get out? Oy. PR disaster.
Makes me wonder if there’s any legal ramifications for impersonating an illegal alien.
@ 8 …. that could be her next option.
Re-apply as Rosario Perez, she can say, “me so sorry, me have no papers, me want edumication here for now, thank you.”
She will have in state tuition, books, a meal card, free birth control pills … and all the benefits anyone could wish for.
God Bless America .. I knew this would work out for her!
Nik, if you do in college, you might qualify for President if you make sure to hide your transcripts.
All joking aside, she should sue and own the college.
“They told me I couldn’t reapply.”
Oh? I’d reapply in a NY second just to force their hand. Application fees ($45) are waived for Veterans and others so it wouldn’t cost a dime. Thank goodness she found out what Pembroke is really about before she matriculated. It is their loss and her new school’s gain.
Okay, here’s how it works. Would you now apply to Pembroke? No. Would bless an application to Pembroke for a son or daughter? No. Will you badmouth Pembroke wherever you and a few other Vets gather? Yes. Will you now associate bad things for Veterans with Pembroke? Yes.
I love it when things work this way.
This is bullshit.
However, it happens up here in the great NW!
Screw our vets but help peole that never served. Gotta love beng PC!
I just sent MATT DRUDGE an email asking him to post the story. He will.
“It’s just disgraceful that life in Iraq, where you could die, is easier than trying to go to school here,
– Sgt. Hayleigh Perez”
Disgraceful isn’t the word I’d use. Shit-tastic is.
WTF that panel needs a severe talking too….anyone up for a road trip?
How the f**k did I ever guess that would be the next topic. . . .
To deny a vet, but give privlidges to the illegal children of illegal aliens — and PC-ness be damned!
These academic asshats need to be taken out to the public square, and have their asses and heads handed to them — literally.
@5, exactly the correct course of action and most likely the ONLY one that will get this fixed, IMO. If NC is anything like VA, residency is statutory, i.e. based on state law. Another course of action may be an appeal to NC court system.
Quick Google search yielded this:
“Residency status for the purpose of determining tuition charges at a public institution of higher education in the state of North Carolina is governed by the North Carolina General Statutes. Specifically, state law applicable to tuition and fees at state-supported institutions is contained in Article 14, section 116-143 et seq., of the General Statutes of North Carolina.”
School processes are written in accordance with the provisions of the laws. A little logical thinking and less emotion can generally solve problems. Get it in the news, BUT also contact the NC lawmakers.
@18, this is from the East Carolina U web page regarding residence status for tuition purposes at http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/registrar/upload/GuidelinesforResidency.pdf
Military Personnel
A legal resident of North Carolina who serves in the armed forces on active duty outside the state does not lose North Carolina resident status solely by virtue of such service. Likewise, individuals in the military who are stationed in North Carolina may establish residency in North Carolina or may retain residency in another state. Individuals in the military who are stationed in North Carolina on active duty and their dependents, who do not qualify as residents for tuition purposes, may be eligible for the Military Tuition Benefit, which is equivalent to the in-state tuition rate.
So…even though NC statute determines residency status, they apparently have some provision for military personnel. At least at ECU…
Sounds like Calif
@ 18 and 19 …. my point from # 6.
I don’t know of any state or territory that does not CREDIT SERVICE from place of birth, place of entry, and/or legal residence. And if NC is now going to re-define the definition … Ms. Perez should get a lawyer because she has already won!
I smell a fish(s) – 15 Member Panel
Before this is all over, am betting that Pembroke will wish they had not done this. Several teachable lessons here for the holy academics. Bless their hearts. (Not.)
Heh. Bless their little hearts indeed.
🙂
Just for the record, the in-state tuition for illegals idea was dropped, it was never implemented.
Still, a really awful way to treat a vet and a citizen of their state.
I’ve seen this article in a number of places today, it’s definitely going viral. They are going to be very sorry they treated her this way.
Stinky fish rot from the head. Wetback maybe bring in mo’ do’ from de guvmint maybe?
@18. Granted, state law governs but the issue is how the law was applied in this instance. If the 15-member (Hey, that’s the same size as the obamacare death panel!) board had ruled otherwise, who was going to appeal its ruling? No, the academics had their say-so and now Pembroke gets to enjoy the fallout.
@21, what generally drives residency are criteria, such as home of record in service records, state of driving license, income taxes, voting records, etc. I’ve seen cases where a service member changes their HOR to FL or TX to avoid income taxes, then complains about tuition domicile.
Public schools ‘lose’ money on the in-state tuition rate, which is subsidized by taxes through state support. Like it or not, I’m betting the school followed a process based on the state code. The university probably has a lawyer overseeing the process, and basically is a state agency.
I’m a NC resident. I am going to mail the link for this story to my state reps and ask them what they think of the actions of UNC-P.
I drill in Tennessee. Every month I drive I-40 back and forth to drill. On the way home there is a big billboard near Waynesville (just after you re-enter the state) that says “Welcome to North Carolina: The most military friendly state.” It’s a nice boast, but they need to back it up with actions.
Here’s the sign (or at least one like it) http://www.flickr.com/photos/techmsg/5431741861/
Soldiers and Sailors relief act, see your County VA rep.
Ok, 1) a soldier does not gain or loose legal residence by virtue of ANY deployment or PCS. 2) If I misread something above, let me know BUT there seems to be some inconsistencies about when she paid taxes and to what state. If she started paying TX local taxes, he has probably by so doing established TX residence and thus lost his NC residence.
The offshoot is that I have the sense that either something is missing from the news report or that the soldier did a singularly bad job advocating for herself.
This appears to be a military service related legal problem. I wonder why she did not get help from her legal assistance office. A JA could fix this very quickly.