The Facts: TRAC has passed along their recommendation for next year’s tuition to the Chancellor, who will be able to review it and then pass it through its various phases before reaching the final judgment by the General Assembly.
Our Opinion: The General Assembly does not understand how much students are affected by tuition increases, so students should tell them to go with the TRAC recommendation and not add anymore to the proposed amount.
The proposed tuition and fee increases have been handed to the chancellor for further evaluation. Currently, the proposed tuition increase is at $330, but is far from being finalized. This number could be raised even more, and for some, these increases are the difference between graduating from N.C . State and becoming a college drop-out. Since the General Assembly is the last say in this process, they should understand we can’t afford these hikes and should take the Tuition Review Advisory Committee’s recommendation as the final increase.
After TRAC passes their recommendation on to the chancellor, he has the power to decide whether the recommendation is appropriate, which entails any changes he sees necessary. Then he will hand it off to the Board of Trustees, who will push it onto the Board of Governors, who leaves it up the General Assembly to make the final changes and approve it.
This circuitous process gives each of these hands the ability to increase the proposed raise in tuition. Since TRAC and the chancellor are most connected to the University and its students, they are able to lessen the blow of a tuition increase on students. Whereas the Board of Trustees, Board of Governors and General Assembly do not fully understand the impact additions to the increase will have on the student body.
While this $330 increase will affect students’ and their families’ pockets, the areas the money is allocated for is meant to help the students of N.C . State. The 35 percent of the proposed tuition increase would go to financial aid—this number was at 25 percent last year. This means more people may be able to receive financial aid, and those who have it may receive more. However, even more of a tuition increase may break the bank for many students.
N.C . State was built on the foundation to be an institution of higher education at an affordable cost. With the constant tuition increases each year, that foundation is being threatened. For many students and their families, tuition is already a cumbersome burden; and with these increases the burden seems impossible to bear.
Two years ago the General Assembly mandated an across-the-board increase of $750, and what is to say they will not do the same this year? Nothing. The state is in such a devastating financial situation, they must find ways to balance the budget, and unfortunately for us, that includes cutting from education while raising the cost of getting it. Students, let the General Assembly know how a large tuition increase will impact your educational experience. They cannot understand the personal impact unless you tell them.
Find out who your representative is and email them, call them or write a letter. Talk to the chancellor via email or in person. Speak out about these increases. Take the time to save on your tuition—don’t allow them to take advantage of you and your family’s pockets.
