Task Force Ready To Look at $400 Tuition Increases

The task force wants the funds, which would total $27.2 million, to address three specific issues -- the student-faculty ratio, teaching assistant salaries and faculty salaries. The task force plans to formally vote on a plan at its Nov. 14 meeting.

Both of the tuition increase plans discussed would remedy the TA salary disparity in full and raise faculty salaries to a more competitive level, but the major differences lie in financial aid and the student-faculty ratio.

While the first scenario would set aside 40 percent for financial aid and slightly reduce the student-faculty ratio from 18.5-1 to 18.1-1, the second would bring the student-faculty ratio to 17.4-1 and only set aside 25 percent for financial aid.

U.S. News & World Report recently stated that UNC-Chapel Hill's peer universities average 12.4 students to each faculty member. Task force Co-chairman Provost Robert Shelton said that ideally the ratio at UNC-CH would be more like 16-1, a goal which would require the creation of 165 additional positions.

Task force members said that though it is important to attract the best faculty, it is also important to attract the best students -- a task officials say requires being competitive with student-faculty ratios.

While Shelton and Co-chairwoman Student Body President Jen Daum agreed that not meeting the 40 percent financial aid commitment would be "unacceptable," they said they thought it was a suggestion that should be brought to the committee.

Task force members also said they are worried about offering competitive salaries to faculty members, citing that 61 faculty members were recruited away from UNC last year. TAs also receive below-average salaries, with 1,140 UNC-CH TAs making less than the $12,921 peer average.

Still, members did not yet agree which aspects of the plans are most important, including whether hiring new faculty members should take precedence over retaining the ones UNC-CH already can claim.

Daum said retention is most important, saying that hiring new people is more expensive.

But Department of Biology Chairman Steve Matson said retention can be just as pricey. "They're offering these people the sun, the moon and the stars," he said.

Some members said they should not have to ask for funding for new faculty positions because it is the responsibility of state lawmakers. "If they don't, we need to find a way to put some pressure on them," said Daum.

Committee members still won't be able to address staff salaries -- also low compared to peer institutions -- because the BOG has made it clear that it doesn't want to address the issue with tuition increases, Shelton said.

Daum said it is important not to submit a proposal that the BOG inevitably would change. "If we bring a proposal forward that we know they're going to modify, it kind of damages our credibility."

In fall 2001, a similar task force asked for a one-year $400 tuition increase. The increase later was knocked down to $300 for one year by the UNC-system Board of Governors.

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