There is a trend in the University of North Carolina school system. The Board of Trustees from both UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC-Charlotte have voted to raise their tuition. Now the Board of Governors is looking at a tuition increase across the board for all 16 schools in the UNC system. Next on the list is UNC-Greensboro, and then they will look at our tuition at Appalachian State University. 

The increase in tuition for both of these institutions has been line itemed for a faculty salary increase and support. Every indication says that the same would happen here at Appalachian. 

Chancellor Francis T. Borkowski is holding firm on his long stance against a tuition increase, as he indicated in the Board of Trustees meeting. And while we can appreciate his sincere concern for the student population and his emphasis on creative alternatives to the increases, there is one disturbing reality. 

The average salary of a full professor at Appalachian is $60,719. The average salary of full professors at the other universities in the UNC System, classified as Comprehensive One, is $65,943. Appalachian is not a below average university.  Faculty salaries should reflect our reputation. 

This is a serious problem. Maybe an alternative can be found to rectify this discrepancy.  No such plan has been made public. Regardless, something must be done. 

One thing is obvious. A raise in faculty support money would not hurt recruitment or retainment of teachers. It could only help. 

Value is the central issue and value is the most complicated thing to measure. Will the increased quality of faculty support be worth an increase in cost? Nothing in free. 

The “Appalachian Family” is a complicated mixture of environments; natural, social, and educational. Should “cheap” fit into that relationship? Or is it “value.” Make no mistake, they are not the same. The University should strive for the latter. 

ASU is a good value. A recent ranking list places Appalachian 33rd in the country for value. But, that doesn’t mean it can’t get better. 

Perhaps this University relies too much on its geographic setting. We live in a wonderful place but that should not be a crutch to support poor wages. Many times, the “High Country” draws people to our University. That is a complement to the region, not the University. It is easier to improve education than Boone.