RESOLUTION 65

A RESOLUTION TO BE ENTITLED

An act To OPPOSE A CAMPUS-INITIATED TUITION INCREASE

WHEREAS,   Article IX, Section 9 of the N.C. Constitution states, “The General Assembly shall provide that the benefits of The University of North Carolina and other public institutions of higher education, as far as practicable, be extended to the people of the State free of expense;” and,

WHEREAS,   the economic climate within North Carolina has resulted in rising levels of unemployment and financial hardship for many citizens of the State; and,

WHEREAS,   over the course of the past four years, the board of governors has authorized across the board and campus-initiated tuition increases that total 59 percent at North Carolina State University; and,

WHEREAS,   students within the University and their families have borne a greater share of the cost of education through tuition increases implemented during the past four years; and,

WHEREAS,   despite these facts, the North Carolina State University Tuition Taskforce, by an 8-6 vote, has recommended a $300 per year Campus-Initiated Tuition Increase for the next three years to be broken down as follows:

                        -46% Financial Aid

                        -12% Graduate Student Support Plan

                        -28% Academic Enhancement

                        -14% Faculty Salaries; and,

WHEREAS,   the allocation to Financial Aid and the Graduate Student Support Plan will not be enough to hold all students on financial aid harmless to the effects of the tuition increase and since North Carolina State University does not meet 100% of financial need; and,

WHEREAS,   over the last five years the General Assembly has made approximately $127,000,000 in cuts to the university budget; and,

WHEREAS,   the less than $3,000,000 of revenue generated from the proposed Campus-Initiated Tuition Increase to alleviate these budget cuts will not even promise a course section will be restored; and,

WHEREAS,   in the Tuition Taskforce meeting, George Worsley, Vice Chancellor of Business and Finance, agreed that the revenue generated from a tuition increase would only be a “drop in the bucket” of the hole that has been created due to budget cuts from the General Assembly; and,

WHEREAS,   it is not prudent to place the burden for faculty salary increases at a public university on students and their families; and,

WHEREAS,   in her presentation to the Board of Governors last February, President Molly Broad confirmed that Campus-Initiated Tuition Increases were not meant to be used for faculty salary increases; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED,  that the North Carolina State University Student Senate opposes the campus-initiated tuition increase of $300 per year for three years recommended by the Tuition Taskforce; and, be it further

RESOLVED,  that the North Carolina State University Student Senate strongly urges the Board of Trustees to reject the proposed Campus-Initiated Tuition Increase from Chancellor Fox and send the message that North Carolina State University is the University of the People of North Carolina.

I hereby certify that this resolution was read twice and adopted by acclamation in the North Carolina State University Student Senate, this 13^th day of November 2003.

______________________________________________

Erich M. Fabricius

Student Senate President

I hereby signify my approval of this resolution as adopted by the North Carolina State University Student Senate, this _______ day of ____________, 2003.

______________________________________________

Tony Caravano

Student Body President