TO THE EDITOR:
Thanks for bringing to light the disheartening news that UNC-Chapel Hill has been deemed unaffordable for dependent low-income students. The study done by the Lumina Foundation shows that our state is not adhering to its mission to provide an education accessible to all students in North Carolina. As the flagship school of the UNC system, UNC-CH has a special responsibility. Tuition has increased 17 percent in the past year, bringing the total increase in tuition since 1994 to 74 percent. This past year, with the state budget in crisis, UNC had to bear a substantial cut. Even with all these recent tuition increases, our legislators' response to a state budget crisis has made it necessary for a committee to be formed to determine if and how much tuition should increase again.
Meanwhile, North Carolina is providing corporations with tax breaks worth hundreds of millions of dollars to sectors such as the tobacco industry and large banks. North Carolina continues to tax students in the form of tuition increases instead of critically examining the tax breaks they provide to various corporate interests. Special interests, like corporations, are in a position to make large contributions to candidate's campaigns so that once a candidate is in office, they are sure to be well represented. In many cases their favor is returned in the form of a tax break. Students cannot donate money like other special interests, so often our concerns are not acknowledged. It's time for this to change, for our voice to be heard. UNC's Campaign Finance Reform Alliance will be petitioning between Jan. 22 and Feb. 5 to have a referendum regarding campaign finance reform put on the student body election ballot on Feb. 12.
If passed by the student body, this referendum would show the legislature and all of North Carolina that students want to be a part of the dialogue shaping the future of our state. If you are interested in helping please contact unccfr@unc.edu.
Alice Teich
Senior
Carolina Environmental Program
