2008 Woodie Awards
Bowles sets cap on future tuition hikes
Associated Student Government reps say increase is 'too high,' urge student response
Kathryn Kennedy
Issue date: 10/17/06 Section: Campus News
The state Board of Governors, a governing body appointed by the N.C. Legislature, passed a 6.5 percent cap on undergraduate tuition hikes for the next four years during a Friday morning session.
The cap was proposed by UNC System President Erskine Bowles earlier this month, and guarantees all public universities cannot exceed a tuition increase of 6.5 percent over the next four years, according to sources from the Associated Student Government (ASG).
ASG is a statewide organization housing student body presidents - including UNCG's SGA President Jonae Wartel - from the 16 campuses. Their organization's president, Derek Pantiel, has a seat on the Board of Governors and is meant to represent the students of the UNC-system.
Many members of ASG felt that though a cap was necessary to slow the growing trend of increasing tuition on a near-yearly basis, 6.5 percent is still too much. They discussed this issue during a conference call last Monday evening.
"Six-point-five seems like a good number compared to what we've seen in the last couple of years," said ASG's Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs and NC State President Will Quick during the call. "I'm just scared we'll put our successors in a tough spot."
"It's just a stepping stone for other increases [in later years]," echoed a representative of NC Central University.
Representatives of ASG attended the Board of Governors meeting where the tuition cap was approved, but still had questions they asked the board to consider. Many presidents were concerned about the cap's effect on out-of-state and graduate students, whose tuition prices typically are forced to increase when undergraduate tuition remains low - a fact pointed out by UNC-Chapel Hill's SGA President James Allred.
"The undergraduates won't be comforted by saving graduate and out-of-state students money," pointed out Wartel over their concerns.
Another concern was where the increased tuition money would be applied. During the conference call, ASG agreed they'd like to see an increase in the amount going toward need-based financial aid, 35 percent rather than the current 25 percent, and a lower amount going to faculty salaries, dropping from 15 percent. The vote was unanimous among those present, despite previous debate.
The cap was proposed by UNC System President Erskine Bowles earlier this month, and guarantees all public universities cannot exceed a tuition increase of 6.5 percent over the next four years, according to sources from the Associated Student Government (ASG).
ASG is a statewide organization housing student body presidents - including UNCG's SGA President Jonae Wartel - from the 16 campuses. Their organization's president, Derek Pantiel, has a seat on the Board of Governors and is meant to represent the students of the UNC-system.
Many members of ASG felt that though a cap was necessary to slow the growing trend of increasing tuition on a near-yearly basis, 6.5 percent is still too much. They discussed this issue during a conference call last Monday evening.
"Six-point-five seems like a good number compared to what we've seen in the last couple of years," said ASG's Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs and NC State President Will Quick during the call. "I'm just scared we'll put our successors in a tough spot."
"It's just a stepping stone for other increases [in later years]," echoed a representative of NC Central University.
Representatives of ASG attended the Board of Governors meeting where the tuition cap was approved, but still had questions they asked the board to consider. Many presidents were concerned about the cap's effect on out-of-state and graduate students, whose tuition prices typically are forced to increase when undergraduate tuition remains low - a fact pointed out by UNC-Chapel Hill's SGA President James Allred.
"The undergraduates won't be comforted by saving graduate and out-of-state students money," pointed out Wartel over their concerns.
Another concern was where the increased tuition money would be applied. During the conference call, ASG agreed they'd like to see an increase in the amount going toward need-based financial aid, 35 percent rather than the current 25 percent, and a lower amount going to faculty salaries, dropping from 15 percent. The vote was unanimous among those present, despite previous debate.
Be the first to comment on this story