[dragonwriter]

> Schools like Cal are still offering too many slots to foreign students despite being chartered to serve the families of taxpayers who provide their funding.

Taxpayers don't provide their funding, taxpayers provide a partial subsidy of the costs associated with in-state students; this is why their is reduced tuition for such students.

[freeone3000]

Okay, taxpayers provide part of their funding, the remainder of which is through donations and student fees.

[dragonwriter]

> Okay, taxpayers provide part of their funding, the remainder of which is through donations and student fees.

Taxpayers provide part (a declining share and declining real per-student amount) of the funding for in-state students. Why would this subsidy have any bearing on the number of out-of-state slots, which are fully (or more than) self-funded? If taxpayers want more in-state slots, then the taxpayers can fund more in-state slots.

> the remainder of which is through donations and student fees

And research contracts, IP and publishing revenue, etc.

[refurb]

I fail to see how the OP was incorrect at all. A subsidy is funding.

[dragonwriter]

Yes, but “their funding” is not the same as “a part—and a declining part at that—of their funding”.