WHEREAS, The Constitution of North Carolina, Article IX, Section 9 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 mission statement of NC State University reads in part that "North Carolina State University provides leadership for intellectual, cultural, social, economic and technological development within the state"; and,

WHEREAS, NC State University is a land-grant university whose primary goal is to educate the sons and daughters of North Carolina; and,

WHEREAS, the median household income for North Carolina as of 1996, quoted by the Census Bureau of the United States, is $31,987; and,

WHEREAS, the current total expense for attending NC State University for the 1999-2000 academic school year, as quoted by the Office of Financial Aid, is $9,506, excluding personal and transportation expenses, consuming 29.71% of the median household income in North Carolina; and,

WHEREAS, The University of North Carolina Board of Governors passed a 4.9% tuition increase for current in-state students, and an equal dollar amount for all out-of-state students, at all 16 constituent institutions effective during the 1999-2000 academic year; and,

WHEREAS, in the 1998-1999 academic year, 7,912 full-time undergraduate students were left with unmet need averaging $4,158 per student as determined by the NC State University Office of Financial Aid; and,

WHEREAS, in the 1998-1999 academic year, 1,251 graduate students were left with unmet need averaging $7,354 per student as determined by the NC State University Office of Financial Aid; and,

WHEREAS, of the 3,723 undergraduate minority students, 79%, including African-Americans, Native Americans, Asians and Hispanics are dependant on financial aid for funding of their education; and,

WHEREAS, additional raises in fees, housing, dining, and cost of living are not considered in the administration’s estimate that 1,800 additional students will be left with unmet financial need after a $1500 increase in tuition; and,

WHEREAS, by the administration’s own admission, it is unable to estimate the number of students who currently do not receive the information they need to effectively apply for financial aid; and,

WHEREAS, a tuition increase will have a detrimental financial impact on NC State University’s current and future students; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the NC State University Student Senate strongly opposes any and all tuition increases.

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Seth W. Whitaker

Student Senate President

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Raj Mirchandani

Student Body President