UNC Asheville Board of Trustees Approves
Tuition Increase Recommendation
The UNC Asheville Board of Trustees on Friday approved a recommendation
to increase UNC Asheville's in-state tuition by $300 a year and
out-of-state tuition by $600 a year for each of the next three academic
years. The recommendation was developed by a 17-member campus task force
appointed by UNC Asheville Chancellor Jim Mullen. The task force was made
up of faculty, staff, administrators, and students. The recommendation
will now be forwarded to the UNC Board of Governors for consideration.
A full 36 percent of the funds from the tuition increase, if approved,
will be set aside for students who are on need-based financial aid.
"In requesting this tuition increase, we are mindful of the sacrifice
often required of students and their families to attend college. It is for
that reason that more than one-third of the tuition increase would be
devoted to easing the financial burden of those least able to absorb the
increase," said Chancellor Mullen. UNCA's current tuition is $1,652 a
year for in-state students and $10,498 for out-of-state students.
Some 46 percent of the tuition increase would be earmarked for faculty
salaries and benefits, in an effort to address the growing challenge UNCA
is facing in recruiting and retaining excellent faculty.
"UNC Asheville remains committed to providing an excellent liberal
arts education. Our students deserve no less. But we are faced with
increasing competition in the recruitment and retention of outstanding
faculty. While the proposal voted today will not solve all our challenges
concerning competitive salaries, it will, if approved, take us a
significant way in the right direction," Chancellor Mullen said.
UNCA's faculty salaries are among the lowest of those paid at UNC
campuses and peer institutions. In 2002-03, UNCA ranked 15th among the 16
UNC campuses in average budgeted faculty salaries.
"UNCA students recognize that the most important part of their
college experience is the quality of instruction they receive on this
campus. With this campus-based tuition increase, we hope to recruit and
retain faculty who are committed to UNCA's undergraduate liberal arts
focus," said Bill Spellman, UNCA Associate Vice Chancellor for
Academic Affairs, who chaired the Campus Tuition Task Force.
In addition, 18 percent of the tuition increase would go to staff
salaries and benefits, with the highest priority placed on bringing up the
wages of those employees paid the least, Chancellor Mullen said. About 50
percent of UNCA's staff earn less than $25,000 a year.
The UNCA Board of Trustees also approved a recommendation to increase
student fees by $33.50 a semester, bringing fees up from $714.25 to
$747.75 a semester. The recommendation, presented by the Chancellor, was
made by the 10-member campus tuition committee, made up of representatives
from the faculty, administration, students and the board of trustees. Four
fees will increase. They are: a $19.50 increase in the Student Activities/Highsmith
Center fee to fund increased programming and student workers for the
expanded Highsmith Student Union, which will open next fall; $10 increase
in the Educational and Technology fee to upgrade student computer labs;
and a $1.50 increase in the Health Services fee and a $2 increase in the
Athletic fee.
A recent study by The College Board determined that the average annual
tuition/fees at a four-year public institution for 2003-04 is $4,694.
UNCA's 2003-04 annual tuition/fees is $3,100 for in-state students and
$11,925 for out-of-state students.
UNCA has been named a "best buy" by The
Fiske Guide to Colleges, The Princeton Review and Kiplinger's
Personal Finance newsletter. It was named fourth in the nation among
public liberal arts colleges by U.S. News and World Report.
Media Contacts:
- Merianne Epstein, UNCA Public Information Director, 828/251-6676 or
pager 828/257-5501
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