Board of Trustees approves proposed tuition and fee increases

Dear Campus Community,

The UNCSA Board of Trustees voted earlier today, to approve our Tuition and Fees Committee’s proposal for the 2023-24 academic year, which is based on guidance from the UNC Board of Governors.

The approved proposal would increase tuition by $500 for nonresident (out-of-state) undergraduate, graduate and high school students, as well as resident (in-state) graduate students. The approved proposal would also increase various mandatory, special and miscellaneous fees, including parking. Finally, the approved proposal also increases High School housing rates by $356.

Next, the UNCSA Board of Trustees will forward its tuition and fees recommendations to the UNC System Office and the UNC Board of Governors, which will consider tuition and fee requests for the UNC System early in 2023.

Since housing costs are approved by each institution’s board of trustees, UNCSA will move forward with implementing the approved increase in High School housing rates for 2023-24. That increase will go toward deferred maintenance (necessary upgrades in Moore and Sanford that we haven’t received state funds to perform).

The process

Each year, a Tuition and Fees Committee (listed below) is charged with reviewing the current cost of attendance and making proposals for the upcoming year’s tuition and fees, according to guidance set by the UNC Board of Governors.

This year, the Tuition and Fees Committee reviewed several scenarios that would generate revenue to address existing and future needs of the institution. As it has for the last six years, the Board of Governors prohibited any increases to resident (in-state) undergraduate tuition. The committee met and, after much discussion, proposed a $600 tuition increase for all students cited above. Our committee purposefully selected a fixed-amount increase for tuition versus a percentage in order to make the impact as equitable as possible.

Considering feedback, obtained through student forums and a survey, about the burden on international and out-of-state students, the committee decided to amend its proposal to the UNCSA Board of Trustees to a $500 tuition increase.

How increases will be used

Fifty percent of the revenue from the tuition increases will go toward addressing faculty recruitment and retention, while 25% will fund the recruitment and retention of critical staff positions for our campus. As proposed, 25% of the tuition-derived revenue from this increase will be held for financial aid (need- and merit-based).

Fee increases will go toward addressing inflationary pressures on our operations, which include higher costs on everything from utilities to lumber to computer software.

Help for financially stressed students

No one wants to raise the cost of attending UNCSA. We realize that any increase can place a real hardship on students and families, particularly in this economic climate. Our Office of Student Financial Aid is committed to providing students with the best financial aid award package possible. Students seeking assistance should complete the 2023-24 FAFSA as soon as possible, preferably before the Feb. 1 priority date.

In addition, the recently completed comprehensive campaign raised nearly $36 million in support of scholarships, and they remain a major priority for our fundraising efforts.

In conclusion

Our committee’s goal was to find the right balance between being responsible in addressing our institution’s fiscal needs and sustainability while minimizing the economic impact on current and future students and their families. While making a difficult decision, our trustees have supported our hard work in doing just that.

Sincerely,

Brian Cole
Chancellor