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By Christina Walker
Echo staff writer

On Feb. 9, the UNC Board of Governors discussed and implemented a tuition increase for all 16 UNC campuses starting fall 2000.

A silent protest was enacted by the Coalition for Educational Access, a group on UNC’s campus, and a plan was proposed by Jeff Nieman, a non-voting board of governors member. But even after these efforts the students plan was denied 17-11.

On March 17 the board of governors met again to discuss raising student fees. The board voted to raise student fees on all UNC campuses by an average of 2.1 percent.

"It is very deceiving to increase student fees while students are on spring break," said coalition member Shannon Goodrum. "It makes it seem like they don’t care what we have to say. There wasn’t much interference from students because most of us had gone home."

This tuition and fee increase was posed because North Carolina wanted a $3 billion bond for salary increases at UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State, and renovations for all UNC system campuses.

After the Senate passed the $3 billion UNC bond, the State Legislature rejected it in July, 1999.

The coalition met on March 23 to discuss strategies and plans on how to approach the General Assembly and discuss issues on tuition increase and the student fees.

They maintain that there should be no tuition increase, no capital fees, and that the assembly should pass a capital bond and financial aid package to cover tuition and fees if a tuition increase is enacted.

They want to include students from other campuses to join their coalition and help deter the General Assembly from giving students these increases.

"We should have additional money for financial aid if we are going to have a tuition increase and student fees," said coalition member Michal Osterwei.

The coalition is now coming up with plans that will help the General Assembly understand what the students want. Some students are doubtful that the assembly will listen to the students’ pleas.

"I don’t think that the General Assembly will say no to the tuition increase, but we want them to at least consider a financial package for the increase," said coalition member Sandi Chapman.