It seems as though the legislators have missed something. They have desperately decided who will pay tuition increases instead of how they could come up with money without burdening anyone. A reminder: Out-of-state students currently pay almost five times more than do N.C. students. Why has the legislature decided to push away this demographic instead of tapping into them as a resource?
Out-of-state students do not just add to the diversity of the UNC system but raise academic standards because it is harder for them to be accepted. If legislators want to hem out high qualifications and variety on this and other campuses, then by all means hike up out-of-state tuition and scare away perspective students. However, it might be smarter to realize the wealth of intelligence, diversity and financial support knocking at the UNC system's door. If the system would raise the number of out-of-state students accepted to the university by even a little it could offset the budget woes.
So let out-of-staters shoulder the load, not by charging them more, but by allowing more of them to help.
Becky Acker
Sophomore, Psychology
