Resolution 28
A RESOLUTION
TO BE ENTILED AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A FORMAL RECOMMENATION FOR TUITION REVIEW AND
RECONSIDERATION CONCERNING THE LEGISLATIVE TUITION INCREASE FOR THE ACADEMIC
SCHOOL YEAR 2010-2011
Short Title: Tuition Reconsideration Act
Sponsors: Senators Kouba and Bloodworth
Secondary Sponsors: Senators Lindh and Hayes
Signatories: SBP Ceresnak, SSP Rogers
Referred to: Tuition and Fees Committee
Version: Committee Version
First Reading: October 14th, 2009 Second Reading: November 11, 2009
WHEREAS, The One-Hundred Forty-Eighth session of the North Carolina General Assembly was convened on January 28th, 2009 ; and,
WHEREAS, During the One Hundred Forty-Eighth session the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 202 titled the Appropriations Act of 2009; and,
WHEREAS, According to the Joint Conference Committee Report on the Continuation, Expansion and Capital Budgets for Senate Bill 202; contained within the Appropriations Act of 2009 was a mandated tuition increase of the lesser either two hundred dollars ($200.00) or eight percent (8%) at all institutions of the University of North Carolina (UNC) system for the fiscal year 2010-2011 to be applied to both residents and non-resident students at the undergraduate and graduate school levels; and,
WHEREAS, According the North Carolina State Constitution in Article IX Section 9 it is quoted that “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, Included in the budget priorities submitted by the UNC Board of Governors in November 2008 was a request that any tuition increase be accompanied by additional funds for the UNC need-based financial aid program in order to hold recipients harmless from the effects of increases in the cost of education; and,
WHEREAS, Over the last ten academic years (2000-2009), on average, forty-two percent (42%) of any tuition increase has returned to North Carolina State University in the form of need based financial aid; and,
WHEREAS, During the 2009-2010 academic school year, students demonstrating financial need had approximately seventy percent (70%) of their needs met with scholarships and grant aid; and,
WHEREAS, According to the Office of Financial Aid at North Carolina State University, the legislative mandated tuition increase will cost the office approximately two million dollars ($2,000,000.00) to fully cover the projected expenses of the university’s financial aid services; and,
WHEREAS, A tuition review advisory committee is formed at North Carolina State University every year to review tuition increase procedures; and,
WHEREAS, During the 2009-2010 academic school year, North Carolina State University’s Tuition Review Advisory Committee recommended an increase of one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) for undergraduate residents and two hundred dollars ($200.00) for undergraduate nonresidents, graduate residents, and graduate nonresidents; and,
WHEREAS, The committee recommended that the additional tuition revenues be used to hold harmless financial need-based students with the respect to the increase in tuition; and,
WHEREAS, The Tuition Review Advisory Committee recommended that 40.6% of any tuition increase be allocated to need-based financial aid, 23.3% be allocated to critical needs of quality and accessibility, and 11.2% be allocated to the Graduate Student Support Program; and,
WHEREAS, The North Carolina State University Tuition and Fees Conference Committee recommended that fifty percent (50%) of the tuition increase be allocated to need-based financial aid, 11.2% be allocated to the Graduate Student Support Program, and 39.8% of the tuition increase be allocated to critical needs of quality and accessibility; and,
WHEREAS, Forty-three percent (43%) of North Carolina State University students are currently defined as needy, by meeting some criteria to qualify for any amount of financial aid; and,
WHEREAS, Several endowed scholarships that provided need-based financial aid were lost due to the current economic downturn; now therefore be it,
RESOLVED, The North Carolina State University Student Senate urges that the North Carolina General Assembly amend the legislative mandated tuition increase to return any additional tuition to the institution through the Campus Initiated Tuition Increase process; and be it further,
RESOLVED, In the event that a tuition increase is recommended, the North Carolina State University Student Senate supports the North Carolina State University’s Tuition and Fees Conference Committee's goals to hold students harmless and their recommendation of a campus initiated tuition increase not to exceed one hundred fifty dollars ($150.00) for undergraduate residents and two hundred dollars ($200.00) for undergraduate nonresidents, graduate residents, and graduate nonresidents for the 2010-2011 academic year; and be it further,
RESOLVED, That fifty percent (50%) of any tuition increase be allocated to need-based financial aid, 11.2% be allocated to the Graduate Student Support Program, and 39.8% of the tuition loss of critical needs for quality and accessibility; and be it further,
RESOLVED, That this recommendation and others similar from constituent UNC institutions be given significant consideration in the tuition review process.