Proposal to fund TIP upsets regents

"This just in," said Regent John Platt, reading from a document that was passed from regent to regent. "Whatever tuition increase is recommended by this board, the legislative TIP fund will get 40 percent" - that is, if the proposal passes through the state Legislature next week.

Last year, the Legislature approved a $4 million package called the Teaching Incentive Program, which was distributed to faculty who taught six or more credit hours in the fall.

Because no money was appropriated for faculty who do not fall into that category, university teachers have long wanted to cut the program. Critics of the plan held that the program did not factor in faculty work outside of the classroom, like mentoring and research.

JLBC Director John Lee, who drew up the proposal, said a footnote to the plan removes the classroom-hour guideline, but it would require that the tuition money, which he estimated at about $1.6 million a year, be spent to improve teaching.

Platt said the proposal may increase students' tuition more than usual.

"If you have to fund the same priorities, you have to raise tuition that much more," he said.

Lee said students will have to pay an increase in tuition, no matter where it is directed.

Regent John Munger said the proposal was important because the board of regents only controls tuition revenues.

"It leaves no room for decision making at all," Munger said. "I have wonderment in my heart at why they won't let me do my job."

"I feel stabbed in the back by the JLBC," said Larry Gould, chairman of the Arizona Faculties Council, who has been working with the committee.

But Lee said otherwise.

"The Legislature has some say to the board of regents when the taxpayers and Legislature give the board $700 million a year," he said.

Lee said the Legislature did not like giving the three universities an additional $4 million for TIP, but was quick to add that the proposal was "not a done deal."

"I think the board of regents is overreacting," he said. "The Legislature is not taking money away from the board."

"I think if I were a regent, I would feel the same way," said Lee. "But, I would keep a broader perspective."