Fire Holden Thorp

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Andrew Payne

Once again Holden Thorp, the embattled chancellor of the University of North Carolina, had failed the nation’s oldest public university.

Thorp lied to the media with regard to the NCAA investigation; now he’s claiming to be a champion for low tuition.

“We’ve done a wonderful job of keeping the tuition down at a time when Virginia and the (University of California) are charging twice what we’re charging,” Thorp told the News and Observer.

A wonderful job?!? Who cares what UVA or the California system charges for tuition. The North Carolina Constitution – which demands low tuition – does not speak to other state’s institutions or as academics call them “peer institutions.”

Again, Thorp demonstrates a fundamental disconnect between the university and its constitutional mandate. I guess that is what we get for hiring an individual who was barely qualified to lead one of our community colleges.

Support students in their powerful struggle for education justice

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Andrew Payne

Please support the students in their powerful struggle for education justice!

On February 10, the UNC Board of Governors will vote on tuition and fee increases for all UNC system schools. Some hikes could exceed 10%, compelling students to speak out against the increase that will effect many student’s ability to access higher education. They have found support from many organizations, including the NC NAACP President Rev. William Barber II.

Earlier this month, the Association of Student Governments (ASG) pledged to support student efforts to have a presence at the February 10 meeting by funding transportation from every school.

But under pressure from the UNC General Administration and Board of Governors, the ASG leadership caved and backed out of their promise to fund transportation. Clearly, the Board of Governors wants to have this meeting without having to confront the students who it will directly impact.

“The only way to stop this unconstitutional increase is through mobilization. Student power will be the deciding vote,” said Andrew Payne, former ASG president who successfully led a mobilization of more than 5,000 students in 2001 against budget cuts to the UNC system.

We need your help today! Students across the UNC system, from Fayetteville State University out to Appalachian State, have signed up travel to the Triangle Feb 10 and now there is no funding for transportation.

With only one week until the meeting, we are scrambling to make alternative arrangements to get everyone to Chapel Hill on February 10.

Please consider making an urgently needed donation today, and spread the word to others who oppose the rising cost of education, increasing student loan debt, and who want to keep the doors of North Carolina’s higher education system open to all!

Click Here to Donate Now!

UNC Board of Governors stifles student voices

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Andrew Payne

On February 10, the UNC Board of Governors will vote on tuition and fee increases for all UNC system schools. Some hikes could exceed 10 percent, compelling students to speak out against the increase that will effect many student’s ability to access higher education.

Earlier this month, the Association of Student Governments (ASG) pledged to support student efforts to have a presence at the February 10 meeting by funding transportation from every school.

“The only way to stop this unconstitutional increase is through mobilization. Student power will be the deciding vote,” said Andrew Payne, former ASG president who successfully led a mobilization of more than 5,000 students in 2001 against budget cuts to the UNC system.

Students across the UNC system, from Fayetteville State University out to Appalachian State, have signed up travel to the Triangle Feb 10 and now there is no funding for transportation.

We are urgently trying to raise $3,000 to:

reimburse the cost of gas for students traveling to Chapel Hill
help student organizations rent vehicles
cover any other costs, including lodging, food, signs, etc.

Higher education can’t be a luxury

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Andrew Payne

When kids do graduate [from high school], the most daunting challenge can be the cost of college. At a time when Americans owe more in tuition debt than credit card debt, this Congress needs to stop the interest rates on student loans from doubling in July.

We can’t just keep subsidizing skyrocketing tuition; we’ll run out of money. States also need to do their part, by making higher education a higher priority in their budgets. And colleges and universities have to do their part by working to keep costs down.

So let me put colleges and universities on notice: If you can’t stop tuition from going up, the funding you get from taxpayers will go down. Higher education can’t be a luxury -– it is an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford.

Remarks by the President in State of the Union Address.

Just a warm up

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Andrew Payne

The UNC Board of Governors is expected to vote on tuition proposals next week for the system’s 16 university campuses.

UNC President Tom Ross has recommended limiting increases to an average of 8.8 percent for 2012-13 and 4.2 percent in 2013-14. Together, they would add more than $700 to the annual bill of an average in-state undergraduate.

Dozens of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students on Wednesday protested a proposed tuition increase at the school.

Carolina’s Covenant of Cost

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Andrew Payne

Consider the following, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Office of Institutional Research and Assessment:

Since 2003, the number of students taking out loans has increased by nearly 47 percent. The total debt accumulated by borrowers has increased by over 40 percent since the same year.

And the total cost of attendance is now 17.6 percent of the median family income of a Carolina student, compared with 11 percent in 1995.

Majoring in athletics

Posted on January 29, 2012 by Andrew Payne

Recent events at UNC Chapel Hill have highlighted numerous flaws in the collegiate athletics. There’s been tremendous news coverage regarding the graduation rates of student athletes, with specific focus on men’s basketball and football teams. I believe I have a possible solution to the problem facing all universities across the country.

I often wondered why we do not let student athletes major in their respective sport. For example instead of majoring in Parks, Recreation and Tourism, former NC State football quarterback Phillip Rivers could have majored in football.

“Ridiculous! That can not possibly be a credible major, what are you trying to do, ruin the academic image of NC State,” many of you are saying right now.

But think about this. Continue reading →

Tuition on the rise

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Andrew Payne

UNC President Tom Ross’ Tuition Recommendations:

2012-13 in-state undergraduate tuition and fees

N.C. Central University: $5,119 (8.5 percent increase)

N.C. State University: $7,644 (9.8 percent increase)

UNC-Chapel Hill: $7,500 (9.9 percent increase)

2012-13 out-of-state undergraduate tuition and fees

N.C. Central University: $15,692 (2.6 percent increase)

N.C. State University: $20,809 (5.1 percent increase)

UNC-Chapel Hill: $28,252 (6 percent increase)

2013-14 undergraduate tuition increase*

N.C. Central University: 2 percent increase (in-state), 0.6 percent increase (out-of-state)

N.C. State University: 3.8 percent increase (in-state), 1.4 percent increase (out-of-state)

UNC-Chapel Hill: 8 percent increase (in-state), 2.1 percent increase (out-of-state)

* Fees won’t be set until next year, so at this point Ross’ proposal includes only tuition for 2013-2014.

A constitutional command

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Andrew Payne

TO THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA

The seventeen campus University of North Carolina system is the engine that powers the economic, intellectual and cultural well-being of our state and its citizens. Any act or failure to act which impairs this engine to provide the system of public higher education mandated by our state constitution jeopardizes the future of our state and the young men and women who rightly look to it to provide a readily accessible system of higher education where they will acquire the knowledge and refine the skills that will enable them to make the most their talents and the opportunities which life will present to them.

After serious and throughout consideration, it is the sincere opinion of the undersigned that the implementation of the presently pending campus requests to increase tuition at our institutions which constitute the University of North Carolina will make these institutions inaccessible to many qualified young men and women and breach the moral and constitutional duties of the State to all our citizens. Many high school graduates would be denied the opportunity to take advantage of the challenging and stimulating programs which as students in our institutions they could enjoy and utilize to maximize their abilities and make meaningful and continuing contributions to their fellow citizens and the well-being of all who are fortunate enough to call North Carolina home.

Over two hundred years ago the people of North Carolina signaled the importance they gave to education when, in their 1776 State Constitution, the first and only public service they commanded was education. Here are their words:

Continue reading →

Bail out the students

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Andrew Payne