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UNC president recommends 8.8 percent tuition increase

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Comments (6)

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

(Updated 2:15 pm)

By Tom Breen
Associated Press

RALEIGH (AP) — The president of the 16-campus University of North Carolina system is recommending tuition and fee increases that would average about $470, or 8.8 percent, for the next school year.

President Tom Ross made his recommendations to the UNC Board of Governors in a letter released Wednesday. The board will vote on the recommendations at its Feb. 10 meeting.

Ross wants tuition increases to be less than 10 percent at every school in the system. Seven schools, including N.C. State and UNC-Chapel Hill, had requested bigger increases.

Ross says he wants to balance the need to make up for reduced state funding with the ability of families to afford higher costs.

The recommendations also call for increases the following school year.

Accompanying Photos

Gerry Broome (Associated Press)

Photo Caption: Tom Ross speaks to the media.

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jandrew28

January 25, 2012 - 12:47 pm EST

I understand that in-state tuition at North Carolina colleges and universities is a bargain, compared to other states, especially Virginia, but to raise tuition almost 9% now, that’s crazy! I am paying tuition ever semester for myself and I work for an employer that has been holding its’ own in this bad economy, evening giving 2 to 3% raises annually. Even with that, my salary has not kept up with the rising cost of everything. I feel for those that have not found jobs and for those that have had to take lesser paying jobs to stay employed and keep food on the table. I think our government needs to take a deep look at itself and figure out how to hold the line on taxes and what it can do to bring the cost of gas back down to more reasonable levels, as that has a direct impact on everything else.

snapandwhistle

January 25, 2012 - 3:08 pm EST

I think the argument has been that students will pay either way. If they don't charge more for tuition, there will be fewer course offerings, which means that it will take students longer to graduate. That will cost them more and take more time. The increase will allow for more course offerings and increased probability of graduating on time, but it will cost more to do so.

UNCGProf

January 25, 2012 - 8:28 pm EST

The costs of living have gone up for us too, while our salaries have not gone up in 4 years and counting (if they don't go up this summer it will be 5 years), our class sizes have grown (mine have each gone up 10 seats a class in the last 2 years) and we therefore have more work, and we have less money for teaching assistant support since our budget has been cut by more than 15% by the state after years of smaller cuts. And even though our salaries look decent on the publicly released forms, after my mandatory contribution to my retirement fund, and taxes, and various insurance (dental and vision and health for my laid off spouse, and kid) my take home pay is around 35k a year. Is it any wonder that our best professors are leaving the school for schools that can pay them what they are actually worth? Something has to give, and if the budget has been cut, and we can't raise tuition, what gives is the quality of the education and the quality of the teachers.

The_Doctor

January 27, 2012 - 4:01 pm EST

UNCGProf, I have some questions, and please don't think I am being confrontational. These are real questions. What is it about UNCG that keeps you there if you are economically stagnant? If memory serves, you have an Ivy League PhD, so you would be highly valued anywhere that fits your field. Is it UNCG itself that keeps you there? Your love for your students, colleagues, and the school itself? Do these things ultimately carry a greater value than the additional money? Again, I'm not being sarcastic or confrontational. For some people, non-monetary factors can be the decisive factor in their career choices. Thanks.

Theo

January 25, 2012 - 10:19 pm EST

LOL....the President put Colleges on notice and told them not to raise tuition costs....remember...your on notice.

The_Doctor

January 27, 2012 - 3:56 pm EST

Ouch. I feel badly for the students, but that's what happens in an inflationary economy. The schools' costs are rising in every conceivable category. This is in large part the result of the general rise in consumer prices across the board in the broader economy. UNC's costs cannot help but rise; everything from electricity to food service to miscellaneous operating costs is increasing in price. It's not UNC's "Fault." This is the world in which we live.