RALEIGH – While most of the discussion regarding the state Senate’s budget proposal has been focused on plans to allow UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State University more autonomy to set tuition, there are other proposals that were included of the budget that are worthy of attention. However, that attention is not because the proposals are justified, but because they are questionable uses of taxpayer money.
In all, the Senate proposes a budget of $2.07 billion in 2006 and $2.1 billion in 2007 for the UNC system. Only the Department of Public Instruction ($6.69 billion) and the Department of Health and Human Services ($3.96 billion) have a larger proposed appropriation than the UNC system.
The Senate budget is scheduled to be approved by the full Senate this week. After that, House leaders will craft their own budget. Once both budgets have been approved, it will go to a joint committee to hammer out any differences in the two proposals.
Some of the Senate’s budget proposals include increased funding for old programs and new spending that touch on increased appropriation for UNC-Wilmington and Appalachian State University. According to the Senate’s budget, Senate leaders are proposing to spend nearly $8.4 million in 2006 and 2007 it describes as equity funding for UNC-Wilmington and Appalachian State University. Equity funding, according to the bill, would make up for differences in the full-time equivalent funding formula at UNC-Wilmington and Appalachian State University compared to other schools in the system.
Senate leaders also propose spending $5 million in 2006 and $10 million in 2007 to aid UNC-Charlotte’s transition to a doctoral/research institution. The spending would go towards new faculty, library resources and technology infrastructure needs. UNC-Charlotte received doctoral research status in 2000, according to budget information.
The budget bill includes operating funding of $200,000 for 2006 and 2007 for UNC-Asheville’s Center for Craft, Creativity and Design. The center, which opened in 2001, is located at the Kellogg Center in Henderson County, which is owned by UNC-Asheville. There is also $200,000 from the 2006 fiscal year budget for the North Carolina in the World Project at the Center for International Understanding. Senate leaders proposed spending $285,000 in 2006 and 2007 for the Program on Southern Politics, Media and Public Life, which is to provide legislators with reports on demographic, social, economic and environmental trends.
There is also a $1 million proposed appropriation in 2006 and 2007 to the James B Hunt Jr. Institute for Educational Leaders and Policy in Chapel Hill, which aims to “engage governors and other leaders in strategic efforts to advance and sustain state-level education reform.”
Tuition assistance programs were also increased in the Senate’s budget proposal. The Senate plan included an effort introduced by Sen. Larry Shaw to give wards of the state free tuition to any UNC or community college system school of their choice. Wording was also changed in the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics tuition waiver program to include all costs of attendance for graduates at any UNC system school. Currently, graduates only receive free tuition if they choose a UNC-system school. Senate leaders appropriated $585,565 for the 2006 budget and $1.5 million in 2007 for the program.
Also included in the Senate budget plan are several studies and proposals for reports to be made to the General Assembly in time for the 2006 session. Among them is a study on the need for training of ferry boat operators. The proposal calls for the State Board of Community Colleges and the Ferry Division of the Department of Transportation to study the types of training a ferry boat operator needs, estimated number of students in the program, employment opportunities, costs, and location for the program. That report is to be made to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee and the Joint Legislative Transportation Oversight Committee by Dec. 1.
There is also a study included in the Senate budget for the UNC system to gather information on how each campus plans to maintain its enrollment in teacher education programs. That report is to be made to the Office of State Budget and Management and the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by Dec. 30.
Shannon Blosser (sblosser@popecenter.org) is a staff writer with the John W. Pope Center for Higher Education Policy in Chapel Hill