A coalition of students plan to protest pending tuition increases at the UNC Board of Governors meeting scheduled for Feb. 10.

Known as NC Defend Education, the group claims the proposition and ratification of these tuition increases violates the North Carolina Constitution, particularly Article IX, Section 9; which states: “The General Assembly shall provide that the benefits of The University of North Carolina and other public institutions of higher education, as far as practicable, be extended to the people of the State free of expense.”

In light of state budget cuts, a NC Defend Education press release called the UNC system’s increasing dependence on private funding a disgrace to public education.

“A tuition increase of any amount is unjust, and will place undue burden on students who are already struggling to pay tuition and will force us to go deeper into debt with student loans…Rather than simply lamenting over state budget cuts, the UNC system should be using its powerful lobby to push for restored funding for education and public services,” the release stated.

Independent from student groups, 20 former members of the UNC Board of Governors have signed a petition urging the current board to reject the tuition increase proposals.

“We cannot responsibly shift an increasing burden in the form of ever-rising tuition and fee charges on to the students and their parents,” the petition stated.

UNC System President Tom Ross said he will not support any proposals requesting more than a 10 percent tuition increase for in-state undergraduates, but students and parents must wait until Feb.10 for official word on the board’s decision. If tuition hikes are passed, the North Carolina General Assembly makes the final decision on whether to implement them.

Several UNC system schools have requested tuition hikes well over the 6.5 percent cap established by the Board of Governors in 2006.

Chancellor Gary L. Miller, in a press release from UNCW Media Relations, said, “We must focus on restoring funding for our highest priority academic needs. While the proposed tuition increase will replace less than half of the university’s loss in state funding, it will help us restore lost faculty positions, course sections, library services and student support services-all critical to student success.”