Resolutions prospose free tuition
for university faculty and staff

Staff Senate “wholeheartedly” endorsed a resolution passed by the Faculty Senate that would allow university employees and their immediate family members to attend NC State tuition-free.

Dr. Bob Bruck, a member of the Faculty Senate’s academic affairs committee and the resolution’s author, presented the document to the Staff Senate at its December meeting. The Faculty Senate passed the resolution in November.

The resolution calls for university faculty, staff and their immediate family members to receive in-state tuition waivers at NC State while working on a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree. The program would not cover the costs of student fees or textbooks. Based on current tuition rates, the waiver would be worth $3,205 yearly per student and $12,820 over the course of a four-year, undergraduate education.

Attracting and retaining quality faculty and staff is necessary to improving the research and programs offered at NC State, Bruck said. And providing a tuition waiver for employees would help attract and retain such workers, particularly in a climate of budget constraints and minimal salary increases, he said.

“The fact is that there are better opportunities somewhere else,” Bruck said. “We are very insistent that this be a very important part of your fringe benefit package.”
Bruck also presented the results of a study conducted by the University Planning and Analysis office. According to Bruck, most other university systems provide a similar benefit. However, Bruck’s proposal calls for the tuition waiver to be funded by the university, not by the University of North Carolina System or the N.C. General Assembly.

“If the University of North Carolina System wants to do this, here are the resolutions, and we’d be delighted if they participate,” Bruck said. “But we have taken the position that if we don’t do something to help our university, it’s not going to get done.”

Bruck said the results of the study estimated that a tuition-waiver program would cost approximately $1 million annually. One proposal would be to fund the program through the university’s endowment.

In discussing the resolution, the Staff Senate “wholeheartedly” endorsed the proposal. Several staff senators praised the Faculty Senate for including staff in the original draft it passed.

“That was big on their part,” said Staff Senate Chair-Elect Melissa Watkins.

Bruck said the next step would be to conduct some joint meetings between committees of the two senates to flesh out the details of how the tuition-waiver program would be implemented and operated. A proposal would then be made to the college deans, vice chancellors and chancellor.

“At that point, it’s out of our hands,” Bruck said.

To view the text of the resolution, click here.

Posted December 17, 2004

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