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January 8, 2004
Volume LV, Number 14
SerVing UNC Wilmington since
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Traditional tuition increase passed by trustees
Sarah Broders
News Editor
The end of December comes
with many holiday traditions - for
UNCW, tuition increases are one
of them.
Shortly after classes ended,
the Board of Trustees voted on a
campus-based tuition increase
over the next two years, which
was brought about by a recom
mendation by Chancellor
DePaolo,
The board approved the tuition
and fees increase with only two
members opposing, one being the
only student on the board.
The campus-based tuition
increase will raise tuition $360 a
year for the next two years. There
will also be an increase in fees of
$57 for the 2004-2005 academic
year.
This brings the total increase
of tuition and fees for 2004-2005
to $417, with an additional $360
tuition increase that will go into
effect for 2005-2006.
The increase in fees and the
two-year tuition increase will
cause in-state tuition to rise 25
percent over the next two years.
This tuition increase is cam
pus-based only. This does not
include the possible system-wide
and statewide tuition increases
that are likely to occur.
UNCW has seen tuition hikes
for at least the past five years.
These have been a mix of cam
pus-based and state and system-
based increases.
Each hike has been more dras
tic than the previous year’s, rang
ing from 5 to 23 percent.
At the meeting the board was
shown a detailed powerpoint
presentation illustrating the rea
sons for the increase.
The first reason being to
restore the student to faculty ratio
to 16:1. The increase will allow
the addition of four faculty posi
tions per year for the next four
years. While there was a dis
agreement over what the current
ratio was - some say 17:1 and
some say 21:1 - it was agreed that
the ratio should be between 15:1
and 16:1.
The second reason is to keep
bringing in high quality faculty.
The increase would allow UNCW
to raise all faculty salaries to the
80th percentile of the national
average.
Other reasons include prevent
ing the erosion of the university’s
quality programs, preventing any
further flexing of faculty funds
(using faculty funds for other pur
poses), and replacing the money
lost by state funding.
One matter of concern among
the board was financial aid. Last
year, 38 percent of incoming
freshmen were need-based.
Administration is aiming to
expand total enrollment to 12,500
by 2010, with current enrollment
being 10,929. The office of the
president has also been known to
request additional numbers of stu
dents to be accepted.
Because the number of stu-
' dents keeps increasing, the num
ber of students in need will go up
accordingly. Last year, 326 stu-
Tultion and Fees (for In-State Students) by Year
$4,157
$3,380
$2,967
$2,571
2002-2003
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dents that were entitled to aid did
not receive it because there was
not enough funds, said Kay
Ward, acting vice chancellor for
business affairs. These students
were then referred to federal loan
programs for additional aid.
“We’re trying to grow and
expand at the same time and it’s
just not possible,” said Mike
Conley, vice president of organi
zations for the SGA. “All of the
burden is being put on the stu
dents.”
Possible system-wide and
state-wide tuition increases that
have not yet been decided upon
were of much concern to many
people.
“What happens if the legisla
ture comes back with an increase
too,” asked a concerned Hannah
Gage, of the Board of Governors.
Unfortunately, no one had an
answer
The biggest protest against the
tuition increase came from SGA
icQLaiiiamT
President, Zachary Wynne. A
decision of this importance was
made too quickly and without
informing the students properly,
Wynne said.
“Students were not informed
enough of this proposal,” Wynne
said, “and six meetings is not
enough to make a decision of this
magnitude.”
“Please keep in mind that
members of the board could
afford to write a $360 check -
many families and students can
not,” Wynne said, politely
reminding the board of the stu
dent perspective.
The tuition task force did not
have their first meeting until Nov.
7.
“This allowed less than one
month to make a recommendation
to the Chancellor by the Dec. 1
deadline,” said Wynne in a letter
addressed to the trustees.
With only one student on the
board, only one student on the
task force and little to no student
input, the tuition increase was
passed easily, with only Wynne
and one other member opposing.
“Actions we take today, 1 can
assure you, are taken in a heartfelt
way, but to maintain the quality of
this institution ... we have no
choice,” Evans said.
Before the board moved on,
Zachary Wynne and Chancellor
DePaolo both suggested a process
change for future years when the
same question of tuition increase
will inevitably be brought in front
of the board again.
In Georgia, 50 percent of the
committee was made up of stu
dents, DePaolo said. “That’s a
direction I’d like to see this uni
versity go in.”
“We run this institution for the
students ^ for their present and for
their future - they need more voice
in this,” said Chairman Jeff D.
Etheridge, Jr.
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