The committee's meeting last Friday was canceled because nearly a foot of snow made it impossible for many members to reach campus. Members met once before Winter Break but only to disseminate information and handle administrative details.
Provost Robert Shelton, who is co-chairman of the task force with Student Body President Justin Young, said he hopes the committee can get through today's agenda so its final meeting, scheduled for Jan. 15, can be spent writing proposals with precise amounts included. "First, we'll talk about the principles that guide us with tuition, and then we can talk about specific uses for an increase," Shelton said. "Without a specific use, there is no increase."
Today's meeting begins at 10 a.m. in 105 South Building. It is open to students and is scheduled to last two hours, but Shelton said it might take longer.
Shelton has set a strict deadline of Jan. 17 for the committee to finish and release its proposal -- a move that is designed to allow campus groups to weigh in on the proposal before the Jan. 24 UNC Board of Trustees meeting where trustees are slated to act on tuition.
The tuition committee was formed last semester after Chancellor James Moeser suggested at the Nov. 15 BOT meeting that officials examine the need for a campus-based tuition increase.
After the last task force meeting was canceled, some members were concerned about the shortened timeline's impact on developing a thorough proposal. "We have to ensure that we have enough time to truly and adequately address the problem," said Young.
Shelton said he is confident the committee will be able to meet the Jan. 17 deadline because members had time during the break to examine information regarding tuition increases. "We've collected a lot of information over break and already have some strawman proposals to look at," he said.
Shelton also said the short timeline means the task force will have to work productively during its two meetings.
"It's sort of like having a final exam," he said. "We have a deadline, and we can't afford to miss it without disenfranchising the University community."
