Task force reviews tuition proposals

With their deadline looming less than a month away, members of the Tuition Task Force reviewed priorities and proposals Thursday to determine how tuition increases can best improve the educational experience at UNC.

While increasing need-based financial aid reigned at the top of the group's list of priorities, members eliminated merit-based scholarships from the list.

The decision stemmed from a debate regarding the University's need to attract competitive students versus its mission to serve the state by increasing accessibility to UNC for all North Carolina students.

"I think we definitely need to have (increasing merit-based scholarships) as a priority, just not financed out of the general tuition," said Nelson Schwab, a member of the task force and the UNC Board of Trustees. "It kind of goes against the mission of the University of educating all of North Carolina that we can."

The task force also considered how the money could be used in the remaining priority areas, which include increasing faculty salaries, teaching assistant salaries and the size of the faculty.

Members discussed the possibility of differentiating tuition increases for in-state versus out-of-state students, as well as differentiating between graduate and undergraduate students.

Last semester, the Board of Trustees approved increases of $300 - later reduced to $250 - for in-state students and $1,500 for out-of-state students. Trustees based this decision on a new market-based philosophy that ranks tuition at UNC in relation to public peer universities.

To this end, the task force considered the actions of UNC's peer institutions, the overall mission of the University and how these differences could affect its ability to successfully educate students.

Jen Bushman, president of the Graduate and Professional Student Federation, voiced concerns that tuition increases for graduate students might negate the improvements the hikes would be meant to foster.

"If we are partially trying to raise tuition to increase TA stipends, and then raise tuition for the graduates, it will be pointless," Bushman said. "If we are raising faculty salaries, yet forcing professors to pull from research grants to support graduate students, then we haven't made the impact that on the surface it looks like we have made."

Members also discussed the importance of educating students about the tuition hikes before final decisions are made, especially in light of widespread student disapproval of last year's increase.

Trustee John Ellison, who also serves on the task force, said the board met huge student opposition when increasing rates last year but thought students didn't fully understand the board's motivations.

"The more informed they are, the better decisions people will make, and more clearly express their opposition or support," he said.

At their next meeting, members plan to discuss differences between in- and out-of-state students and undergraduate and graduate students, as well as a delayed price elasticity study to show how increases affect enrollment.

The task force will meet once or twice more to finalize its recommendations before the Board of Trustees' November meeting.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.