NC PROMISE TUITION MODIFICATIONS.

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View NCGA Bill Details2019-2020 Session
Senate Bill 459 (Public) Filed Monday, April 1, 2019
AN ACT TO AMEND THE NC PROMISE TUITION PLAN TO PROVIDE THAT ELIZABETH CITY STATE UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT PEMBROKE, AND WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY SHALL CONTINUE TO SET TUITION RATES IN THE SAME MANNER AS ALL OTHER CONSTITUENT INSTITUTIONS; THAT THE STATE SHALL "BUY DOWN" THE TUITION RATES SO THAT RESIDENT STUDENTS PAY FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS AND NONRESIDENT STUDENTS PAY TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS; AND THAT THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS SHALL MONITOR THE SOLVENCY OF EACH CONSTITUENT INSTITUTION, AND IF THE BOARD FINDS THAT A CONSTITUENT INSTITUTION MAY INCUR UNSUSTAINABLE LOSSES, THE BOARD SHALL TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO PROTECT THE SOLVENCY OF THE INSTITUTION, WHICH MAY INCLUDE AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF THE STUDENT PAYMENTS AT THE CONSTITUENT INSTITUTION.
Intro. by D. Davis.

Status: Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate (Senate action) (Apr 2 2019)

Bill History:

S 459

Bill Summaries:

  • Summary date: Apr 1 2019 - View Summary

    Amends GS 116-143.11 by amending the calculation of undergraduate tuition under the NC Promise Tuition Plan to require that that UNC Board of Governors (BOG), as provided in GS 116-143 and GS 116-11(7) and in consultation with the trustees of  Elizabeth City State University, the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and Western Carolina University, set the tuition rate for those schools. Requires, however, beginning with the 2019-20 fiscal year and the 2019 fall academic semester, that the BOG establish student amounts as a portion of the rate of tuition for each academic year in which sufficient state funds are available in accordance with the following: (1) for students deemed to be in-state residents for tuition purposes, the student payment is $500 per semester; (2) for nonresident students, the student payment is $2,500 per academic semester. Requires that those schools, within available state funds, receive a buy down of the amount remaining after the student payment amount is subtracted from the total undergraduate tuition rate established by the BOG. Requires the BOG to monitor the implementation and operation of the NC Promise Tuition Plan at the three schools and if it finds that any of the institutions may incur unsustainable losses and state funds for the buy down are insufficient, requires the BOG to take appropriate action to enable the institution to meet its financial obligations. Provides that for an academic year in which the BOG finds the solvency of a constituent institution is jeopardized and that a buy down with state funds will be insufficient, the BOG must propose an increase in the student payments and requires notifications to the institutions by April 1 and to the NCGA by May 1 of the proposed amount of the increase. Amends the reporting requirement by no longer requiring a report of any financial obligation resulting from the established tuition rate incurred at each institution and instead requires a report on the amount paid to each constituent institution as a buy down as a result of the established student payments. Also requires reporting of actions taken by the BOG if a constituent institution incurs unsustainable losses, as well as the findings of the BOG that the solvency of a constituent institution is jeopardized and the amount of an increase of student payments at the constituent institution. Makes the first report due in 2019 instead of 2018.