A-3 - The University of North Carolina at Pembroke

NOVEMBER 13, 2014
Provost Kitts
NEWS
The Chancellor’s Cabinent comments
“Chancellor Carter has provided superb leadership during a very challenging time for public
higher education in North Carolina. He brought
stability and a sense of vision to UNCP. His emphasis on quality has elevated the reputation of
this campus both within the UNC system and
across the Southeast. Chancellor and Mrs. Carter
have been wonderful ambassadors for this institution, and they will be missed.”
“I am very proud of Ken and congratulate him and
Dena on their appointment. They will be an awesome couple to lead North Alabama, and Sarah
and I wish them the very best. I know all of you
have questions about Ken's appointment and
what happens next. That will be clarified soon
enough. For now, let's be proud of our colleague
and wish him the very best.”
Chancellor Carter
“Chancellor Carter and his wife, Sarah, have
been great mentors to myself and my wife, Windy.
Their dedication to the University over the past
five years has been inspiring, and UNC Pembroke
is a better place because of their leadership.
Chancellor Carter has positioned us well for the
future."
Dick Christy
“Windy and I are extremely excited for Ken and
Dena. I could not have asked for a better working
relationship with the Provost during Ken's tenure.
He is a great human being, friend, and tremendous leader. He will do an outstanding job for
North Alabama.”
THE PINE NEEDLE 3A
Wendy Lowery
“Dr. Kitts is a dynamic leader. He’s very strategic,
very personable, and student-oriented. I think all
those attributes will serve him well at UNA.”
“Dr. Carter invested in various programs across
the campus during a time when funding was
scarce and remained committed to enhancing the
academic quality of UNCP and providing services
to our students that would enable their success.
Through several campus forums, standing meetings with large groups of faculty and staff across
campus, and marathon cabinet meetings, he attempted to ensure that all voices across campus
were heard and that, in turn, he provided as much
information to the campus community as often as
possible. I am extremely honored to have spent
the past three years with both Kyle and Sarah and
feel completely confident that they left my alma
mater in a better position to propel forward.”
“Both Ken and I arrived within a year of one another and we immediately cliqued. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Ken. He's not only a
remarkable colleague but a valued friend. His
commitment to academic excellence, proactive
approach to problem-solving and sincere effort to
help any cabinet member in whatever capacity he
is able speaks volume to his character and overall
morale compass. He will make an outstanding
President. As an alumnus and member of the
UNCP cabinet, we are very fortunate to have had
Ken as our Provost for the past few years. I wish
he and his family only the absolute best.”
Cost for students could rise next year
Dan Kenney
By Jonathan Bym
Editor
The tuition and fee review committee presented
its plan for tuition and fee
increases for the 2015-2016
academic year during a fee
forum inside Pine Hall on
Nov. 4.
A jammed-packed multipurpose room of students
gathered to listen to the future plans of the university
at the forum led by Vice
Chancellor for Student Affairs John Jones and Provost
Ken Kitts.
“The main question we
[the committee] had to answer was to increase tuition
and fees, or not,” Dr. Jones
said.
The maximum increase
permitted by the UNC system for the university to
raise fees and tuition is 5
percent each, which would
be a student fee increase of
$87.40 and a tuition increase of $160.50, for a
maximum total of $247.90
The student fee is broken down into four main fee
areas: athletics, student activity, education/technology
and health services. All
areas went through a proposal process for a fee increase, which required them
to list what the increase
would go towards.
Through the process,
athletics requested a $44 increase, health services requested
$10,
student
activity requested $86.87
and education and technology requested $40 for a total
of $188.87. That total is
more than $100 above the
allowable maximum increase. It is now in the
hands of the committee to
trim down each request to
bring the total down to
$87.40 before sending the
request forward.
After the committee reccomends an increase, that
goes to the chancellor, then
to the UNCP board of
trustees for a vote, and then
to the UNC board of governors for final approval.
The board of trustees
will meet on Nov. 20-21.
The student activity area
covers 18 different organizations and departments. Of
Infographic by Jonathan Bym
those groups, four requested
double-digit increases.
Student Involvement
and Leadership requested
$27.15, Greek Life asked
for $14.48, Intramurals
wants a $13.57 increase and
the gym requested $10.86.
The $86.87 requested
by student activity is only
pennies less than the $87.40
permitted by the system for
the entire increase.
After requesting a $75
increase last year, athletics
was granted a $31 increase,
and this year’s request is
making up for the difference. It is still part of a plan
set by Athletic Director
Dick Christy and Chancellor Kyle R. Carter to help
the athletic department
shrink the gap between
UNCP and what other peer
institutions receive as funding.
Along with funding for
student-athletes, the fee increase would provide students with better seating
options at football and basketball games, more Adidas
gear in the bookstore, in-
creased student giveaways
and more intramural championships hosted at varsity
athletic fields.
Last year, health services did not request an increase and this year has
requested a $10 increase.
Cora Bullard, director of
Student Health Services,
said this increase would go
toward the new student
health services building that
is planned to be built in the
lot next to the Health Science Building. Plans include having a pharmacist,
a full time health educator
and a full-time nurse practitioner available on nights
and weekends.
The driving force behind the education/technology increase is to maintain
the services on campus, including software and hardware. CIO Nancy Crouch
said these changes are to
keep the IT department
moving forward by streamlining their department to
make it more effective and
efficient.
Six students, two fac-
ulty members, one staff
member along with Dr.
Kitts and Dr. Jones make up
the committee. Originally
the committee suggested a
smaller increase in tuition
before the students on the
committee requested a
higher raise nearing the 4.55 percent area.
Many students in attendance asked questions regarding the difference
between fees and tuition to
clarify the issue. Dr. Kitts
explained that tuition
mainly goes to the operations of the university as
well as salary for many of
the employees. Fees go to
the four fee areas and finance their costs.
Since 2011, Dr. Kitts
said, the percentage of state
appropriations the university has received dropped
from 70 percent to 60 percent. Tuition and fees fill in
the gap, resulting in a need
for an increase.
With an increase in tuition, the question was
raised about keeping college affordable for students.
According to Dr. Kitts,
when the tuition increase request is submitted, there
will be a provision included
asking that more financial
aid be provided. He also explained how the UNC General Administration usually
caps university need-based
financial aid at 15 percent.
Dr. Jones also explained
that a fee increase is important to making UNCP an
“institution of choice.”
“If we don’t increase
fees and tuition, we will
continue to underserve by
not providing the best services and hiring the best staff
for our students,” he said.
“If we don’t invest, we continue to decline.”
Some students wondered if an increase in fees
could result in a decrease in
the student population. Dr.
Kitts explained that tuition
is about getting the most out
of their investment.
“Look at Elizabeth City
State; they are the cheapest
school in the system, and
their enrollment is dropping
steadily,” he said.

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