BOG to rethink tuition policies

A meeting to be held this Friday could be the first step toward dramatic changes in tuition policy for the UNC-system Board of Governors.

A proposal sent to members of the board's tuition policy task force would set a specific range for tuition increases at each system campus, to be adjusted annually, instead of the current process that allows the board to set widely varying increases each year.

"One thing that we have talked about is, do we want to look at a way to systematically determine a rate of increase instead of just letting the board decide each year," said Hannah Gage, co-chairwoman of the task force.

The plan under consideration would allow system schools to request tuition increases based on the average rates at national peer universities, opening the possibility of yearly increases to keep pace with rising tuition costs nationwide.

According to an estimate already prepared by the system financial affairs office, the maximum allowable increase for UNC-Chapel Hill next fiscal year would be $465.05, based on a comparison to increases at other public universities.

Under the same calculation, N.C. State University officials could ask for a hike of up to $437.65.

"Planned increases in North Carolina that would be consistent with peer increases nationwide would be less erratic and would keep North Carolina's schools in approximately the same relative position to our peers over time," said the proposal prepared for Friday's meeting, the first scheduled for the task force.

During the past five years, UNC-system tuition hikes have fluctuated between 2.5 and 16.5 percent of tuition costs, while national peer schools have stayed between 6.5 and 11.2 percent during the past four years.

The program - which Gage said is one of several ideas up for debate - aims to keep tuition for system schools within the bottom 25 percent of comparable schools.

The new policy would be designed to give each campus a measure of predictability when making requests to the board.

"If campuses adhere to the guidelines and the policy - the campuses can, in good faith, anticipate approval," the proposal states.

"Are they comfortable with us finding a range of operation, whether it's looking at the bottom quartile or bottom third of public institutions?" Gage said. "I think that's what we want to hear from the committee members."

UNC Association of Student Governments President Zack Wynne, who is serving on the task force, said he has concerns about the examination of hard tuition figures so early in the process.

"If it starts going in that direction, I might raise a flag or two," he said.

But Gage said any numbers to be examined are not set in stone and should be considered merely as an early-stage proposal.

"We've got some ideas we're going to throw out to get it started, just to give it some form," she said. "We're not starting this meeting with a particular destination in mind."

The task force was formed after a legislative battle this summer in the N.C. General Assembly spotlighted the possibility of tuition autonomy for UNC-CH and NCSU.

Though full tuition autonomy for the system's flagship schools failed to gain enough support, board members pledged to examine new tuition policies to meet their unique needs.

Steve Bowden, a member of the task force, said the group will work toward making a decision on tuition policy relatively soon.

"We'd like to do this by Christmas," he said.

 

Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.