Committee Sets Tuition Meeting for Dec. 11

Young had previously requested that the committee, which Provost Robert Shelton called for at the Nov. 15 UNC Board of Trustees meeting, not meet during exams or Winter Break to make it easier for students to participate.

But Young said Monday he was not upset that the task force's first meeting will be held Dec. 11 -- during exams -- because the three students on the task force, senior Eric Johnson, sophomore Rebekah Burford and graduate student James Alstrum-Acevedo, will be able to attend.

"When the possible dates were presented, we consulted with the student members, and they said they would be available during December 11," said Young, who will be able to attend the Dec. 11 meeting. Young and Shelton are co-chairmen of the committee.

The committee plans to make a recommendation at the Jan. 24 BOT meeting, when a formal vote by the trustees is expected to take place.

Shelton was out of town Monday and could not be reached for comment.

Linda Naylor, administrative assistant to the provost, said the Dec. 11 date was chosen because it accommodated the schedules of most committee members.

Johnson said there are plans for the task force to meet three times before making a recommendation.

Johnson said he hopes additional meetings will be scheduled because he thinks the task force will need more time to evaluate the University's overall tuition policy.

"It's such a complex issue, and it does involve a lot of philosophical questions about the mission of our University," Johnson said. "But that's not something you can discuss in a few hours."

Naylor said no dates have been set for future task force meetings, adding that additional meetings might be scheduled.

Young said the possibility of holding meetings during the break has not been ruled out. Young, who is planning to leave town for Winter Break on Dec. 20, said he would not necessarily oppose the idea of holding meetings during break if the other student members are available.

The task force comprises four faculty members, three BOT members, three administrators and three students.

Committee member Stephen Weiss, the chairman of the Department of Computer Science, said he thinks the committee will only have time during the one-hour Dec. 11 meeting to discuss logistical and preliminary issues.

Young said he hopes the committee will evaluate the University's tuition policy as a whole and that it will not recommend any tuition increases until a specific need for an increase is found.

"I would like the committee to understand that if there's a specific need for a tuition increase then maybe we should address it, but I don't really see that need right now," he said. "I hope the committee sees that a tuition increase right now really isn't the answer."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.