Alex Kaplun

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House Budget Proposal Leaves Hole

By Alex Kaplun | July 25

RALEIGH -- Despite lingering doubt over what sources of revenue will be available to lawmakers, members of the N.C. House began to move forward this week with building a balanced budget for the current fiscal year. Democratic leaders unveiled a preliminary budget Tuesday that aims to fill a $2 billion hole in the state's budget. But the tentative plan still puts the House budget $288 million in the red.

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Wilson Succeeds Ruffin as BOG Chairman

By Alex Kaplun | July 18

For the first time in four years, the UNC-system Board of Governors will be under new leadership. Brad Wilson was unanimously elected Friday to replace Ben Ruffin as chairman of the BOG. Ruffin was not eligible to seek another term because he has already held the two-year post for two terms as board chairman.

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BOG Approves Tuition Rate Reduction

By Alex Kaplun | July 18

University governing boards across both the state and nation have approved numerous tuition increases in the last year to offset the loss of revenues caused by state budget crunches and to remain competitive with peer schools nationwide. On Friday, the UNC-system Board of Governors approved an action that rarely occurs in higher education -- a reduction in tuition rates for one UNC-Chapel Hill professional school.

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Primary Elections Date Set

By Alex Kaplun | July 18

RALEIGH -- After a four-month delay, state elections in North Carolina appear to be back on track. The N.C. General Assembly set the state primary election this week for Sept. 10 after the U.S. Department of Justice ruled that the district maps did not violate the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Both the House and Senate unanimously approved legislation this week that set the Sept. 10 primary date and eliminated a primary runoff due to the compressed election schedule. A runoff is typically held if no candidate receives more than 40 percent of the vote in the primary election.

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Business School Requests Lower Tuition Hike Due to Pricing Problems

By Alex Kaplun | June 27

After years of tuition increases, some UNC students might witness what has become a rarity in higher education -- a voluntary reduction in tuition. Robert Sullivan, dean of the Kenan-Flagler Business School, asked the UNC-system Board of Governors Special Committee on Tuition and Fee Policies last week to reduce the tuition increase for some out-of-state students in the business school.

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BOG Starts Review of Own Policy

By Alex Kaplun | June 27

The UNC-system Board of Governors began a re-evaluation of its tuition policy last week, a process some student leaders and UNC-system administrators have been anticipating for several months. The board's existing tuition policy -- which was put in place in 1998 -- has been criticized by student leaders for being ineffectual and not followed by members of the BOG when making decisions on tuition increases.

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Senate Budget Spares System From Deep Cut

By Alex Kaplun | June 20

RALEIGH -- After a nearly weeklong delay, the N.C. Senate appears to be on the verge of passing a state budget for the 2002-03 fiscal year. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved Tuesday a state budget that called for budget reductions to most of state government but spared education -- including the UNC system -- from deep cuts. Lawmakers were forced to make cuts to state government to fill a $2 billion hole in the state budget for the next fiscal year. The budget is expected to be approved by the full Senate this week.

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Budget Proposal Released

By Alex Kaplun | June 13

RALEIGH -- Plans unveiled by Senate budget writers this week on how the state will deal with next year's budget shortfall include a promising outlook for the UNC system. Senate appropriations committees released Tuesday proposals for budget reductions to most of state government. The Senate Appropriations Committee on Education/Higher Education's budget proposal calls for a 2.4 percent recurring budget reduction to the UNC system -- a total of about $42 million.

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Senators Hear Fiscal Concerns

By Alex Kaplun | June 6

RALEIGH -- In an unprecedented meeting Tuesday, state education leaders pleaded with members of the N.C. Senate not to cut too deeply into education when the legislature builds a budget for the 2002-03 fiscal year. Education officials from all over the state and from all three branches of public education -- K-12 schools, community colleges and the UNC system -- aired their concerns in a three-hour session as most of the Senate listened intently. The N.C.

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General Assembly Convenes

By Alex Kaplun | May 30

RALEIGH -- With little pomp and a daunting task before them, state lawmakers convened Tuesday for the 2002 short session of the N.C. General Assembly. While there was little discussion on the session's first day about the state's budget deficit -- which has grown to approximately $2 billion for the 2002-03 fiscal year -- it is sure to be the main topic of discussion for lawmakers in the next few months.