The University of North Carolina System gave the state’s public universities permission in September to raise tuition up to 3% for new students who enroll in the fall of 2026.
In-state undergraduate tuition has not increased in the UNC System for nine straight years. Despite the recommendations of university staff, UNC-Chapel Hill trustees weren’t prepared to raise it in 2026, either.
During a nearly three-hour presentation Wednesday, Nate Knuffman, UNC-Chapel Hill’s vice chancellor for finance and operations, made the case for a 3% tuition increase (roughly $211/yr) in in-state undergraduate tuition for incoming students starting next year.
Knuffman also recommended a $53 fee increase per student to cover the cost of a new student recreation and wellness center. Housing costs would rise an average of 7%, or $282 to $344 more per semester for residence halls, to address the current backlog of deferred maintenance projects. And Carolina Dining Services would also see a 3.9% increase (about 53 cents more per meal) to cover increased operating expenses and inflationary food costs.
“How do we know or is there any assurance that we can have that the tuition increases that we might make here, which affects our students and their families, that those dollars won’t end up going off of our campus?” asked trustee Ritch Allison.
Allison was referring to a performance model approved by the UNC System to increase campus efficiency and student outcomes. But the model was never fully embraced nor funded by the legislature, and the individual campuses were asked to contribute toward the creation of a $30 million performance pool. For UNC-Chapel Hill, that meant returning $10.8 million to the UNC System for the performance initiative.
While some of those funds are expected to return to Chapel Hill under the system model, Allison said it was difficult to support any new tuition proposal that would put greater costs on the backs of students and families if the funds would ultimately go to another campus.
“That’s really what I have a lot of angst about,” said Allison.
Knuffman said that when UNC-CH submits its proposal to system leaders and the UNC Board of Governors for consideration, they will note that they believe strongly that the dollars need to stay at Chapel Hill.
Trustee Marty Kotis, who chairs the Budget, Finance, and Infrastructure Committee, said he was opposed to any increase in undergraduate tuition for state residents. He said they should first look at raising tuition for out-of-state undergrads and graduate students.
“Board of Governors’s tuition policy says that campuses must demonstrate that they’ve exhausted all other reasonable levers before requesting an in-state tuition increase,” reasoned Kotis.
UNC-Chapel Hill Trustee Jim Blaine voices concerns about raising tuition for in-state undergraduate students. (Screen grab: UNC-CH video stream)Trustee Jim Blaine said he objected to raising in-state tuition because UNC-Chapel Hill simply appears to spend far too much money wastefully.
Blaine pointed to UNC-Chapel Hill’s decision to spend $1 million for an external public relations firm, while employing 100 communications professionals at the school.
“It is really inconceivable to me that we subsequently have $11.5 million give or take wrapped up in people that do comms work at this school, [yet] we need to go out and hire a DC-based comms firm to do a million dollars in PR work,” said Blaine. “If we do, we need to fire some of those 100 people and eliminate their salaries.”
Blaine clarified that he was not trying to single out any one department or individual, but he was concerned about the external perception that the flagship university was being wasteful with its resources. He suggested that Knuffman rework his proposal to hold in-state tuition flat.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chancellor Lee Roberts addresses trustees at a Nov. 12, 2025 meeting. (Screen grab: UNC-CH video stream)With several trustees now advocating against the first tuition hike in nearly a decade, Chancellor Lee Roberts was asked to weigh in on the proposed 3% increase for in-state students.
“We think it’s a very measured, reasonable increase entirely consistent with our obligations to the North Carolina Constitution,” Roberts replied.
Robert said he was worried the university has not yet received enrollment funding from the legislature, which left town without passing a comprehensive state budget.
“I worry about a dynamic in which we’re telling the General Assembly that we need the enrollment funding very badly and they turn around and say, well, you didn’t use the tools we gave you to help yourself with a tuition increase,” said Roberts.
UNC-Chapel Hill’s full board of trustees will debate the matter further on Thursday. Any increase recommended by the trustees would need to be submitted to the UNC System office by December. The UNC Board of Governors would have the final say in the first quarter of the new year.
How UNC-Chapel Hill’s in-state undergraduate rates (including a possible 3% tuition and fee increase) compares to other institutions for 2026-27. (Source: UNC-CH Finance and Operations.)Hence then, the article about unc chapel hill trustees divided on proposal to hike in state university tuition was published today ( ) and is available on NC news line ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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