June 11, 1998

For a long time, North Carolina’s Universities have been known for their quality education at reasonable prices.

However, the UNC System president Molly Broad has initiated a Tuition Policy Task Force to further reflect each university’s unique missions, goals and concerns on tuition issues.

This Task force is charged with consulting with campus representatives from all of the constituent universities to provide comment toward a comprehensive review of all student tuition fee policies, including differentials between graduate and undergraduate tuition, the role of the non-resident student and financial aid programs and funding levels.

Student representatives from each of the five colleges on Appalachian’s campus were given a packet of information to read about UNC tuition policies and reply back to the Chancellor’s office. These students were chosen for their positions on campus, as well as the colleges they are associated with. Representatives from such areas as Faculty Senate and the Staff Council were also given the information and asked for a response.

 “Philosophically my strong view is to hold tuition fees as low as possible,”  Chancellor Borkowski said.

State support and increase in state support is a reflection of investment in the future of the state and economic development and quality of life in the state. The task is to persuade the public about the value of higher education but not to put the burden on the students. Loans create an unnecessary burden that students have to carry for many years during school and after graduation, Borkowski said.

The other side of the tuition argument is that the economic benefits of a higher education degree are three to four times greater for those who  have one. Therefore, the students should be willing to carry the burden of the loans for the privilege of a higher education degree.

Specific situations have become problematic in the current policy environment. This element leads the task force to investigate a new tuition policy framework. The collaborative results of the UNC schools views on the tuition policies are due back to the Task force by June 30.  Following this review, the information gathered travels through several research stages to be presented to the Board of Governors on November 13.

E-mail The Appalachian Online at theapp@conrad.appstate.edu