Chancellor Jim Woodward said the decision to keep all fee increases–including the $83 Talley Student Center fee proposal which isn’t included among student fees but is an indebtedness fee–below the 6.5-percent suggested cap put in place by the Board of Governors last year is his decision as the leader of the University.
Woodward said even if the BOG, which meets today and Friday, suggested a lower percentage cap, he would stick with the 6.5 percent suggestion that the university system’s governing body passed down to chancellors last year.
Woodward said he felt the 6.5 percent cap was adequate, but said he would not move forward with a fee increase proposal of much more than that unless the student-led fee review committee made a very strong case for a slightly larger fee.
“At this time and given the sensitivity [of the budget situation],” Woodward said. “I feel this is the best opportunity for getting this approved.”
Woodward said to keep the fees under the 6.5% cap he has allocated some administrative salary sources from student fees to state appropriations. The move was to free up some cap space for fees.
“The limit I put into place,” Woodward said of his 6.5-percent cap decision, which had no student input. “Reflects my judgment of what position we’re in right now.”
Woodward said the decision of the fee committee will weigh into his final decision, but said he’ll view the committee’s decision as a recommendation, and will revisit with the committee if he can’t reach an accord with the group.
“Under no circumstances would decisions be made in this office without significant student interaction,” he said.
Co-chair of the fee committee Kelli Rogers said over the weekend that the Talley fee would not rob other fee increase proposals of their chances at being implemented. A concern raised among organizations with fee increase proposals has been that the propositions would be “knocked off the table” because of the Talley project.
The Talley fee, which would account for 81 percent of the 6.5-percent increase, is not typically included within the student fee cap. Woodward said it would be difficult to get the BOG to accept an increase package that included a 6.5 percent increase on top of a large indebtedness fee.
Woodward said his unilateral decision to limit all increases to 6.5-percent was intended to aid the fee committee.
“I think it would be unfair to the fee committee if I didn’t give them my recommendation,” Woodward said, adding he wouldn’t want the committee to go through so much work to propose a plan that wouldn’t be approved.
Woodward said if the package wasn’t approved the committee would then have a few days to put together a new fee proposal package, but he doesn’t want to take a chance on a package that wouldn’t be approved by the Board of Trustees, UNC President Erskine Bowles and the BOG.
“I won’t put a proposal out there that won’t be approved,” he said.
