UNC has sustained its reputation among the greatest public institutions in the country by consistently ensuring that an elite education is accessible to the masses. In order to continue this priority, it is essential that this education remains affordable.
The UNC-system Board of Governors is deciding whether to cap annual tuition and fee increases at 5 percent between 2015 and 2019, a reduction from the current 6.5 percent. To offset the upcoming decrease in revenue from in-state students, out-of-state tuition rates would be market-driven, which for next year amounts to an increase of 12.3 percent.
UNC-system schools should remain affordable, but not at the expense of out-of-state students. With a mandate capping out-of-state enrollment at 18 percent of UNC-CH undergraduates, it cannot be reasonably expected for this minority of students to carry the burden of reducing tuition for the 82 percent of students from North Carolina. This 18 percent already pays 44 percent of tuition, and raising this figure even more is entirely illogical.
A 5-percent increase in tuition for in-state students amounts to $417 per student — on out-of-state students, it would amount to $1,506. By exceeding this rate to an annual increase of 12.3 percent, UNC is adding $3,705 to out-of-state tuition every year.
The proposal to decrease the annual tuition rate for in-state students is strong progress towards making education more affordable, but raising out-of-state tuition is not a reasonable solution. In fact, it would make UNC accessible only to the richest of out-of-state applicants, and would deter many prospective students from applying.
If UNC is to maintain its reputation as an elite school with an affordable price, it is crucial that an alternative way to raise cash be found.
