King Rand holds court
Submitted by James on Mon, 06/29/2009 - 6:43am
At a time when budgets are being cut to the bone and beyond, tone-deaf leaders in the NC Senate are sticking to their guns on the Great Tuition Giveaway for out of state athletes. Pricey Harrison explained the situation.
"We're proposing to lay off thousands of teachers, we're cutting vital programs to the neediest," said Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford, a longtime exemption critic. "It's hard to rationalize spending (millions) to subsidize booster clubs so that they can bring in out-of-state athletes and academic scholarship programs."
But the Senate, from which the exemption idea first originated a decade ago and got approved in the 2005 budget, isn't backing down.
This policy never made any sense, and it's an abominably bad idea in light of today's budget woes. It sends the wrong signal to students and parents about the role of our public universities, pandering to big donors in booster clubs who hold more sway in the Legislature than is healthy. Two thirds of the money went to athletes last year, costing taxpayers nearly $8 million.
It allows UNC campuses to treat undergraduates who receive full scholarships as in-state students in the eyes of the UNC system. So outside groups pay for the scholarships at the in-state tuition rate, which can be more than $10,000 cheaper than the out-of-state rate. Taxpayers make up the difference.
The House wants to dump the out-of-state giveaway, and so does the president of the university system, but they've met the match in Tony Rand, a guy who'll do anything to help the power elite without even being asked. His defense of the giveaway?
Schools like Western Carolina would curtail out-of-state recruiting, rather than make up the difference from the in-state rate, if the provision is removed, said Sen. Tony Rand, D-Cumberland, the Senate's chief proponent to retain the exemption.
Make sure you get this straight. The individual campuses and their booster clubs don't consider out-of-state recruiting for athletes important enough to put their own money where Tony Rand's mouth is.
Don't worry though. King Rand will get his way. He always does. The House will cave in negotiations. And then the Governor will likely sign on to whatever Rand wants as well.
Or maybe not this time?
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Budget in bad shape?
This is why I'm in favor of cutting first and raising taxes second. How many other programs like this one are buried in the state budget? Of course, the NCGA is willing to cut teachers, mental health services and everything else before they touch these sacred cows.
When are we going to say enough is enough and demand the folks in Raleigh actually do their job?
Welcome PackMan97
to BlueNC where we have been telling the folks in Raleigh for a couple of years now that "enough is enough"!
Pricey is an invaluable voice
One of the only true progressive leaders in the NC legislature. Thanks for the post James.
the students are actual people who are here
OK, the athletes and academic scholarship recipients are already here, some of them in their 3rd or 4th year at in state tuition. If the program is repealed immediately and affects current students and freshmen arriving in six weeks, wouldn't the student suddenly owe the tripled tuition with just a few weeks notice? It is the student's obligation to pay their tuition. It is slightly more complicated to get rid of this quickly as some above advocate.
Full disclosure, I had an out of state Morehead Fellowship and am still reasonably familiar with the program. I am not advocating for or against the in-state tuition program.
Good point. Phasing in would be easy enough to do.
I'd be happy to keep the program available for academic scholarships - that seems like a smart investment in the future. I can't make the same case for football players.