A UNC Board of Governors committee today approved tuition and fee increases for 2012-13 and tuition increases for in-state undergraduates in 2013-14.

If the full board passed the plan tomorrow, tuition and fees would rise on average 8.8 percent next academic year for North Carolina undergraduates across the UNC system. Tuition would climb an average of 4.2 percent systemwide in the following year.

Under the proposal that passed the committee today, 2012-13 tuition and fees would increase 8.5 percent at N.C. Central, 9.8 percent at N.C. State and 9.9 percent at UNC-Chapel Hill for in-state undergraduates. Out-of-state and graduate students would pay more. In 2013-14, in-state undergraduate tuition would rise 2 percent at NCCU, 3.8 percent at NCSU and 8 percent at UNC-CH. Fees would be set next year.

Under the plan, next year North Carolina undergraduates would pay tuition of fees of $5,119 at NCCU, $7,644 at NCSU and $7,500 at UNC-CH. But that's only about a quarter of the cost of going to college. Students also have to pay living expenses, including room, food, transportation and books.

UNC President Tom Ross said he wanted to keep all tuition and fee increases below 10 percent. Some campuses had asked for higher tuition to help cope with state budget cuts.

Debate today focused on the way tuition proceeds are carved up across the UNC system. Some campuses set aside more than 25 percent of tuition revenue to cover the cost for low-income students. Some board members said that method is just wrong, and unfair to struggling middle class students who are "taxed" to cover the costs of other students.

Ross promised a full review of need-based financial aid practices and policies in the coming months.