Bill Summary for S 845 (2015-2016)

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Summary date: 

May 11 2016

Bill Information:

View NCGA Bill Details2015-2016 Session
Senate Bill 845 (Public) Filed Tuesday, May 10, 2016
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A FIXED TUITION PLAN FOR NORTH CAROLINA STUDENTS WHO ENROLL IN A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE PROGRAM AT ANY CONSTITUENT INSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA SYSTEM.
Intro. by Waddell, Smith, Van Duyn.

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Bill summary

Enacts new GS 116-143.9, which requires the UNC Board of Governors to establish a fixed tuition plan (plan) for the University of North Carolina System (UNC System). Provides that the plan is to be available to any undergraduate student seeking a baccalaureate degree admitted to any constituent institution in the UNC System who also qualifies as a state resident for tuition purposes. Requires the plan to include four components as follows. Requires a guaranty that the cost of tuition will continue to be the same amount during the tuition period. Requires the tuition period to be according to the following four classifications, except as provided in subsection (b) of the statute. (1) For a student who is classified as a freshman based on credit hours at the time of the student's enrollment, the tuition period must be eight consecutive academic semesters for a student seeking a baccalaureate degree in a four-year program or 10 consecutive academic semesters for a student seeking a baccalaureate degree in a program officially designated by the UNC Board of Governors as a five-year program, including any summer sessions. (2) For a student who is classified as a sophomore based on credit hours at the time of the student's enrollment, the tuition period must be six consecutive academic semesters for a student seeking a baccalaureate degree in a four-year program or eight consecutive academic semesters for a student seeking a baccalaureate degree in a program officially designated by the Board of Governors as a five-year program, including any summer sessions. (3) For a student who is classified as a junior based on credit hours, the tuition period must be four consecutive academic semesters for a student seeking a baccalaureate degree in a four-year program or six consecutive academic semesters for a student seeking a baccalaureate degree in a program officially designated by the UNC Board of Governors as a five-year program, including any summer sessions. (4) For a student who is classified as a senior based on credit hours at the time of enrollment, the tuition period must be two consecutive academic semesters for a student seeking a baccalaureate degree in a four-year program or four consecutive academic semesters for a student seeking a baccalaureate degree in a program officially designated by the UNC Board of Governors as a five-year program, including any summer sessions. Requires the student to remain enrolled continuously at the same constituent institution during the entire tuition period, except as provided in subsection (b) of the statute. Requires that, at the end of the tuition period, the cost of tuition reverts to the current tuition for that constituent institution and a tuition surcharge is imposed under GS 116-143.7 if applicable.

Provides in subsection (b) that upon application by a student, the fixed tuition plan may be tolled if the student is able to demonstrate that the student's pursuit of a degree has been substantially disrupted or interrupted by a military service obligation, serious medical debilitation, a short-term or long-term disability, or other extraordinary hardship. Directs the UNC Board of Governors to establish the appropriate procedures to implement subsection (b) of the statute.

Establishes that, if a student who is already enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at a constituent institution on the date this act becomes effective and wants to participate in the fixed tuition plan, the student's fixed tuition rate is to be the amount of the tuition rate on the effective date of the statute and the student's tuition period is to be determined according to the classifications set out in GS 116-143.9(2) (intends GS 116-143.9(a)(2)), as enacted.

Applies to any student who enrolls or is enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program at a constituent institution of the UNC System beginning with the 2017-18 fall academic semester.