A bill moving through the North Carolina House would do away with a steep surcharge for some students at public universities. The surcharge applies to students who take longer than 140 credit hours to finish a four-year degree. For instance, if a student has to withdraw, but comes back years later to finish a semester, they would pay a 50 percent surcharge on their tuition for that semester. That policy has been in place since 2010.
Some lawmakers worry that's an undue burden on those non-traditional students or some who transfer from community colleges.
A UNC System spokesman released a statement that is largely supportive of the bill. It says the goal is to reach workforce needs, and eliminate a deterrence toward degree completion.