The price of power

Matt Calabria has ventured into a territory from which few student body presidents have returned successfully.

As the University’s governing board reconvenes this morning, Calabria continues to wage a last-minute protest to convince the Board of Trustees to strike a balance between the University’s needs and reasonable increases in nonresident tuition.

It has been five years since then-Student Body President Nic Heinke successfully persuaded the board to reduce campus-based tuition increases, and today’s events will determine whether or not Calabria can live up to those standards.

The board’s Audit and Finance Committee responded to his efforts Wednesday, approving a proposal to increase campus-based tuition $250 for in-state students and $1,000 for out-of-state students.

Several committee members walked into the meeting favoring an increase of $250 for N.C. residents and $1,200 for nonresident students — one of the three options recommended by the Tuition Task Force and the proposal supported by Chancellor James Moeser.

But after listening to students testify about the detrimental message such an increase might send to the out-of-state student population, committee members downshifted their figures.

“It was a very big step,” Calabria said. “The board recognized these significant concerns.”

When crafting tuition policy, officials are trying to meet the needs of four top priorities identified by the Tuition Task Force. These include funding need-based aid, faculty salaries, teaching assistant salaries and new faculty positions.

“These are the big four, but the fifth priority is keeping out-of-state tuition reasonable,” Calabria said, noting that he will continue his efforts today to reduce the increase in nonresident tuition to $800.

As the committee debated which tuition option to send to the full board, members expressed concern that whatever increase they proposed might not survive the UNC-system’s Board of Governors.

After five meetings last semester, members of the Tuition Task Force unanimously approved three tuition options, each of which would yield about $5.4 to $5.6 million for University priorities.

Increasing tuition $250 for in-state students and $1,000 for out-of-state students would yield about $5 million.

Richard “Stick” Williams, chairman of the Board of Trustees, said that the committee seems to have reached a recommendation that meets the University’s priorities and responds to students’ concerns. He said trustees were pleased with the resolution and expect a successful discussion today.

But the BOG expressed hesitation to approve any in-state tuition increases after its last meeting.

Trustee Nelson Schwab, chairman of the finance committee, said he couldn’t support an increase of more than $250 for in-state students, in light of the BOG’s message. “They are breaking ground if they approve an increase here and not anywhere else,” Schwab said.

But University officials said the uphill battle they expect to face in supporting any in-state tuition increases is one worth fighting.

“It is in order to protect ourselves to be competitive in an increasingly competitive environment,” Moeser said. “I think not standing for this would be putting this University at risk.”

Administrators underscored the unique position the University holds in the broader UNC-system and the importance for the BOG to support any proposed increases.

Before the system’s governing body either rejects or puts its stamp of approval on a campus-based tuition increase, University officials plan to make the strongest case they can to support a campus-based tuition increase at UNC-Chapel Hill.

“Differentiation of missions is critical for the success of all the Universities in the system.” Provost Robert Shelton said. “In the case of Chapel Hill we have to be among the top of the world.

“To do that, we have to have some flexibility.”

The University competes with national public and private universities for both students and faculty, and officials said the University’s top priorities are in desperate need of funding.

“(Lobbying for a campus-based increase) won’t be an easy road but the need is so urgent,” Moeser said. “The danger is, if we don’t succeed in this, we’ll have a bigger deal next year, and I’m afraid of the faculty we’ll lose in the meantime.”

Williams said the BOG will have to give the University’s ultimate proposal serious consideration before making a decision that would draw a line between UNC-Chapel Hill and the rest of the system.

“I don’t know whether it’s ever been done,” he said. “It will be a tough step for them.”

But the BOT shouldn’t shy away from doing what it thinks is right today, Trustee Paul Fulton said.

“Let’s roll the dice and see what is going to happen,” he said.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu