Tuition Review Advisory

Committee Charge

August 18, 2016

Committee Charge from Chancellor Woodson

During its brief cycle of intense work this Fall,  Tuition Review Advisory Committee members are asked to thoroughly consider tuition [and its related uses] for the next biennium. Proposed increases are subject to approval by the UNC Board of Governors who “shall fix the tuition and fees, not inconsistent with actions of the General Assembly at the institutions of higher education. . . in such amount or amounts as it may deem best. . . .” GS 116-143. During this year’s cycle, committee members are asked to consider the eight-consecutive / ten-consecutive semesters fixed tuition rate for North Carolina resident undergraduate freshmen and transfer students relative to GS 116-143.9 “fixed tuition payment” recently enacted by the 2016 Appropriations Act.

In August 2014 the UNC Board of Governors approved a four-year tuition and fees plan for academic years 2015-16 through 2018-19. During this 4-year covered plan period, the maximum rate of increase in campus-initiated tuition rates for resident undergraduate students is 5% per year. This 5% cap is expected to remain in place throughout the 4-year period [barring significant changes in appropriations per resident FTE during the plan period]. The General Assembly’s 2016 Appropriations Act places a 3% cap [per academic year effective 2017-18] on the cumulative total of all undergraduate student fees. Based on the 4-year plan, tuition and fee rates are set on a biennial schedule. Therefore, this year’s Tuition and Review Advisory Committee has the responsibility to recommend 2017-2018 plus 2018-19 campus initiated tuition increases (CITI) for consideration which will serve as the basis for further recommendations to the Board of Trustees.

Revenue from CITI has traditionally been used to 1) enhance the student experience through quality and accessibility improvements; 2) support need-based financial aid and graduate student support; and 3) fund faculty promotional increases. The Board of Governors, in its 2014 four-year tuition and fees plan, set a 15% cap on the total tuition dollars that may be used for need-based financial aid. NC State’s 2016-17 projected tuition use for need-based financial aid is 15.6 percent.

The committee is asked to proceed with the CITI review and recommendation process focusing on resident and non-resident tuition rates for undergraduate and graduate students and is further asked to perform the following functions:

• Review relevant materials relating to tuition, including guidance that comes from the UNC Board of Governors and General Administration.
• Review the 2014 actions on tuition increases and formulate recommendations for a) changes in the amount of increase and for b) allocation of the additional funds that might be generated for the 2017-2018 plus 2018-2019 academic years.
• Review and recommend action on any proposed new (or increases to current) premium tuition rates.

The co-chairs who will help guide the work of this year’s committee are Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Warwick Arden and Student Body President Paul Nolan.