Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1986 [PAGE 542]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1986]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

531

to the quality of undergraduate (as opposed to graduate) education. He questioned the use of the Higher Education Index (a measurement applied by the Board of Higher Education when considering tuition levels) as opposed to the Cost of Living Index — noting that the Cost of Living Index has declined. With regard to tuition increases in the College of Medicine, he indicated there was no evidence of the college standing in third place in die Big Ten but diat the college ranked very high nationally in tuition charges. Finally, he moved that tuition increases, at all levels and in all schools and colleges, be limited to 4 percent overall for the coming fiscal year. Mr. Lamm referred to and introduced a letter from a student at Chicago, typical of those he has received. The letter is as follows.

Board of Trustees: I think you should not increase tuition. A tuition increase would place many studnts under severe economic hardship. If tuition is raised, many students will have to leave school. I understand that you plan to increase tuition in order to expand your program of minority retention. Considering that many minority students are economically disadvantaged, keeping tuition low would be your best program of minority retention. Sincerely, / S / Rochelle Dolgoff

Also presented was a resolution from the Student Government Association at Urbana, as follows:

Whereas, Students at the University of Illinois have borne their share of tuition increases; Whereas, Undergraduate tuition at the University of Illinois is well above the Illinois Board of Higher Education recommended one-third of the undergraduate cost of instruction; Whereas, Federal assistance to students actually decreased in the past five years and the proposed Gramm-Rudman-Hollings bill represents cuts at 25-35 percent; Whereas, T h e proposed tuition increase outstrips inflation; Whereas, Minority students will be greatly harmed by the proposed increase; Whereas, Graduate and professional students do not receive much of the financial assistance offered to undergraduate students; Therefore, SGA Stands Resolved, T h a t tuition should be discussed at the same time as the University budget so that student input can be considered earlier in the budget process; T h a t the differential cap can be placed with the full expectation that the policy be studied further for the purpose of decreasing the tuition differential; and In opposition to the tuition increase at the proposed level, we feel that the levels proposed for graduate and professional students and for undergraduate students are too high.

In response, Vice President Weir emphasized the significance of the action of the Board of Trustees in approving the original request for operating funds for Fiscal Year 1987. That action had followed a long period of budget development and consultation within the University at the departmental, collegiate, and campus levels. Such a continuing