CHAPEL HILL (January 15, 2016) – At a statewide gathering of university faculty, Higher Education Works Executive Director David Rice said the public too often misses the link between reductions in state funds and rising tuition at North Carolina’s public universities.
North Carolina’s shift away from public support has had a direct impact on tuition costs for students and families, according to a 2013 report from the legislature’s Program Evaluation Division.1
“We feel right now the system is at risk,” Rice said. “That’s why we like to remind people about the constitutional provision in North Carolina — that higher education remain as free as practicable.”
The UNC-system Faculty Assembly brought together Rice, Jesse Saffron of the Pope Center for Higher Education, and Chris Fitzsimon of NC Policy Watch for a wide-ranging discussion about the future of public higher education.
All three voiced support for clearer coordination between public schools, community colleges and state universities, with the aim of offering high-quality options for all students.
Rice said that universities, community colleges and public schools are too often pitted against one another in the state budget process.
“We need to see it as a continuum,” he said. “They’re all connected, and they all depend on one another. We need investment across the board.”
There were differences, however, on the trajectory of state support for higher education.
The Pope Center’s Saffron pointed out that per-capita spending on higher education in North Carolina remains strong compared to other states, while Fitzsimon of NC Policy Watch noted that per-student spending has fallen significantly since the Great Recession.
“I’m discouraged that the level of support among our policymakers seems to be dwindling,” Fitzsimon said. “The money is there — it’s about the choices our leaders have been making.”
Faculty members asked about admissions standards, the role of the UNC system in training teachers, and other issues facing university leaders.
While the panelists offered different views on the precise path for public education, all agreed that quality higher education remains vital for North Carolina.
“It’s important to build human capital, and it’s important to have graduates prepared for a rapidly changing environment,” said Saffron.
1 http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/PED/Reports/documents/UNC/UNC_Report.pdf
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