Board of Governors preps for tough year

In light of the severely limited UNC-system budget, the system’s policymaking body will emphasize long-term efficiency this year.

Instead of attempting to expand its campuses and student enrollments as it did in years past, the Board of Governors will focus on making universities more efficient with the resources they already have, chairwoman Hannah Gage said.

Higher education in the state and across the country is undergoing a period of reform brought on by economic woes. The economic downturn has forced the board to search for ways to keep higher education affordable, Gage said.

“Once the recession hit, states across the country suddenly can’t afford these grand campuses they’ve created,” Gage said.

In preparation for another tough fiscal year, the board focused on cost-cutting issues at its mid-August meeting, the first of the 2009-10 academic year.

“It will require thorough analysis of where we are. … I think it is a challenge that people are prepared (for),” said Charlie Mercer, vice chairman of the budget and finance committee.

One effort at saving money entails slowing freshman enrollment growth and increasing community college transfers, she said.

The state pays about $12,000 per year for each student in a university. Because some drop out, community college transfers are more efficient because for at least a year, they cost the state only community college tuition, or about $3,000, Gage said.

The board also plans to encourage online courses, which accept more students than regular classes, allowing students to move through their requirements more quickly. More online classes also mean less reliance on buildings that require upkeep.

Another focus will be eliminating unnecessary administrative positions, which bog down payrolls and lead to fewer class sections, Gage said.

“We’ve been rewarding enrollment growth as opposed to performance,” Gage said. “The truth is that it doesn’t work.”

State & National Editor Ariel Zirulnick contributed reporting.

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