The Canaan-Flagler School of Business increases tuition for undergraduate students

Beginning in 2018, Cannon-Flagler Business School students paid a performance improvement grant aimed at improving the undergraduate business program and providing students with resources such as academic advising and international scholarships.

The fee has remained the same since its inception four years ago, but this may soon change.

Kenan-Flagler is looking to increase the fee known as the “business school fee” for incoming students at the start of the fall 2023 semester due to program expansion and increased enrollment.

Kenan-Flagler’s senior enrollment will grow by 11 percent and junior enrollment by 66 percent in 2022, Jordan Hale, assistant dean of the undergraduate business program, said in a statement.

“PEF has enabled us to increase the size of our staff to serve our staff (students) in all aspects of UBP, especially through improved vocational training, international programs, scholarships, welfare and student engagement programs,” he said in a statement.

Business majors currently pay $1,000 per semester, for a total of $2,000 annually, Hale said. The proposed increase would increase annual rates for incoming minors by $1,000. Business minors previously paid $1,000 a year, which may increase to $1,500.

Fees are waived for students who qualify for need-based aid, which will continue after the proposed increase.

Shmul Melwani is Associate Dean of the Undergraduate Business Program. She said there is also a secondary process for students who are going through personal financial difficulties.

Hale noted that inflation will impact the program from 2018 to 2022, raising costs for UBP-wide events and study abroad programs.

This month, the program solicited input from business and pre-business students about the fee increase, holding town halls, student surveys and social media posts. Hale said the students share critical concerns, but after learning more about it, they seem to understand the need.

“In our interactions with students, many have asked why the fee is needed, how the fee is used, when is the right time to increase it, who pays and whether it provides support for those who do not have the resources to cover tuition,” Hale said in a statement. They also emphasize the importance of accountability.”

Melwani said the program didn’t have as much student feedback as he hoped, with only about 100 survey responses from 800 current students and about 1,000 applicants.

“Of the students who took it, we had about 10 percent who said they were in favor and another 15 percent who said they didn’t care one way or the other. And then of course, there’s a significant number who aren’t particularly envious or don’t support it,” Meluwani said.

Sophie Cho, co-president of UBP’s Community, Equity and Inclusion Board, said that while she understands the potential increase, the timing of the proposal was not ideal given the recent tensions at Kenan-Flagler.

“This increase will help support the very important staff who work directly for students, but I think the direction and timing of it all was unfortunate,” Cho said.

Cho said the general consensus she gathered was that students saw the need for a fee increase to remain competitive with other undergraduate business programs.

But Cho said there is a need to increase resources and the fee is beneficial for students.

“Also, by emphasizing community equity and inclusiveness in the program, despite the resources, our students feel like they belong in the program so they can comfortably pursue these resources that ultimately pay for them,” Cho said.

While the proposal has been presented to two separate advisory committees, Melwani said it must be approved by both the UNC Board of Trustees and the Board of Governors before it can be approved.

“At the end of the day, it’s just a proposal. It’s a multi-step process that goes through various entities at UNC and then throughout the system,” Melawani said.

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