A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to direct the Board of Governors of the UNiversity of North Carolina to study and evaluate the tuition surcharge policy.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  The Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina shall study and evaluate the tuition surcharge required by subsection (b) of Section 89 of Chapter 321 of the 1993 Session Laws, as amended by Section 17.10 of Chapter 769 of the 1993 Session Laws that mandates a twenty‑five percent (25%) tuition surcharge on students who take more than 140 degree credit hours to complete a baccalaureate degree in a four‑year program or more than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the credit hours necessary to complete a baccalaureate degree in any program officially designated by the Board of Governors as a five‑year program.  In conducting the study, the Board of Governors shall consider the following:
(1)	The impact of the tuition surcharge on retention and graduation rates.
(2)	Whether the current exemptions from the tuition surcharge need to be expanded for students who are pursuing double or combined bachelor's degrees.
(3)	Whether other exemptions from the tuition surcharge need to be created for the various circumstances that students, including nontraditional students, may encounter in pursuit of a baccalaureate degree.
(4)	Whether the tuition surcharge needs to be raised or lowered or differentiated.
(5)	Any other issues related to the tuition surcharge.
The Board Governors shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee by March 31, 2010, on its findings and recommendations.
SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2009.