Chancellor Kenneth Peacock will ask for a 6.5 percent tuition increase, but the decision to increase tuition for 2013-14 year has not been made, said Greg Lovins, interim vice chancellor for business affairs.
“The Chancellor, nor anyone else in University administration, wants to increase tuition and fees,” Lovins said.
Significant budget reductions experienced since 2008 gave rise to concern about maintaining “the excellent, high-quality education for which Appalachian is known,” Lovins said.
“Revenues from a tuition increase should help Appalachian retain and recruit excellent faculty and offset some of the budget reductions experienced in the last four years,” he said.
The Tuition Committee will meet later this month with the hope of making a recommendation by the end of the month.
The Fee Committee also begins meeting this month, but their recommendation may not be finalized until early November, Lovins said.
“We don’t yet know exactly how much tuition will be increased or specifically how it will be used,” Lovins said.
The tuition increases have been critical to help offset some of the effects of the budget reductions from the state, said Tim Burwell, vice provost for resource management and chair of the Tuition Committee.
“We do not like the notion of increasing tuition, but we have to be concerned about maintaining the quality of the educational experience we provide to our students,” Burwell said.
The Tuition Committee is not a decision-making body. However, they will make a recommendation to the Chancellor, who will then recommend tuition costs and uses to the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees.
The Fee Committee has the same responsibility for fee levels, including general fees—like student activity fees, educational and technology fees, health services fees and the athletics fee—and the application fee.
The BOT will consider and vote on tuition and fee proposals at the December board meeting, then forward Appalachian’s proposal to the UNC Board of Governors, who will vote on tuition and general fees at its February meeting.
The BOT and BOG aren’t required to vote on fees such as housing, food services, textbook rental and transportation, although Appalachian has included those fees in its proposal in the spirit of transparency, Lovins said.
The Committees’ tuition and fee proposals will be presented to the Student Government Association in November for information and feedback.
The Tuition Committee will have their first meeting Oct 24.
Story: KELLI STRAKA, News Reporter