Mike Byers
Vice Chancellor of Administration and Finance Western Carolina University
- Cullowhee NC
Media
Social
Education
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
MBA
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
B.A.
Economics
Media Appearances
Western Carolina University plans $130M revamp of aging sports facilities
WLOS online
2024-01-03
WCU Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Mike Byers said upgrades to the athletic facilities will happen as funding comes in. But improvements to some of the decades-old facilities will have a hefty price tag.
Inflationary pressures lead to higher tuition, fees at Western Carolina University
WLOS online
2022-12-07
Tuition remains the same for undergraduate students at Western Carolina University in large part due to the NC-Promise program that's been in place for some years now.
However, there will be a 3% increase in tuition at the graduate level -- and some fees are going up as well.
“Haven't had an increase in many years,” Mike Byers, vice chancellor for Administration and Finance, said Wednesday, Dec. 7.
Inflation outpaces state budget raises for WCU employees
Smoky Mountain News online
2022-07-27
“We are thankful for this consideration as inflationary pressures continue to compress salaries and impact our employees and their families,” said WCU Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Mike Byers.
UNC adopts new funding model
Smoky Mountain News online
2022-04-27
But, said Western Carolina University Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Mike Byers, “simple” would be an incorrect description of the current four-part model.
“It was a fairly difficult thing to explain, which is part of the reason it needed to change,” he said. “You couldn’t get through an elevator speech with the average citizen and explain how the funding model works. You really need a few hours.”
WCU approves master plan
Smoky Mountain News online
2022-03-23
The plan’s approval — first from the committee and then from the board as a whole — followed a lengthy conversation about a draft form of the document held during a board retreat in November. The final version does not contain any significant changes from the draft document, said Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Mike Byers.
WCU trustees promise sunset for athletic fee increase
Smoky Mountain News online
2022-03-16
Hart had requested the resolution as a condition of the board’s approval of the athletic fee increase Dec. 3. For the first time in memory, the proposed athletic fee increase earned support from all six student representatives on the WCU Tuition and Fees Committee, but their support was the result of leadership’s promise that the fee increase would disappear once the $30 million in athletic upgrades it was intended to finance had been paid. Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Mike Byers told Hart a fee sunset was baked into the existing policy, because once the debt was issued the increase would move from the athletics fee line time to the debt service line item. The university would be required to reduce the debt service fee when the debt term ended. However, Hart wanted an outright statement of that pledge to bring back to the student body.
State budget funds all WCU requests
Smoky Mountain News online
2021-12-01
Meanwhile, the new state budget includes enough funding to cover the total estimated cost of renovating Moore, first built in 1924. It originally served as a women’s dormitory, then as a campus dining hall, and it most recently housed the university’s health and human sciences program. It’s been vacant since that program moved to the new Health and Human Sciences Building on Little Savannah Road in 2012. After the renovation, Moore will host classrooms, offices and academic programs including the Criminal Justice Department and the English Department, said Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Mike Byers. The $35.5 million estimate includes “contingencies for moderate inflation and unexpected circumstances,” he said.
WCU breaks ground on new facility to replace 123-year-old power plant
ABC 13 News online
2021-03-26
The new plant, however, will leave behind a significantly smaller carbon footprint.
“It should be nearly 70% more efficient than the old plant,” said WCU Vice Chancellor Mike Byers.
WCU maintains positive bond rating, outlook from Moody's
WCU Stories online
2020-09-09
At its quarterly meeting Sept. 4, the WCU Board of Trustees approved the issuance of special obligation bonds to fund $80 million of the total project cost ($87 million), also endorsing $13.5 million in bonds to refinance debt on the previous construction of the Courtyard Dining Hall, a move that will save the university $2.7 million, said Mike Byers, vice chancellor for administration and finance.
Police Chief Lillard named national runner-up in Campus Safety magazine’s annual awards
WCU Stories online
2020-07-08
Mike Byers, vice chancellor for administration and finance, said Lillard has taken numerous steps to improve the police department, both internally and in the eyes of the campus community.
“His values and expectations are reflected in his staff, who have engrained themselves into the campus culture and ensure that every member of the campus community is treated with dignity and respect,” Byers said. “While Chief Lillard is always visible at high-profile events on campus, it’s often his efforts and contributions behind the scenes that help foster a sense of safety and security throughout the campus.”
WCU chooses another S-W graduate to replace Robert Edwards
The Sylva Herald online
2014-11-19
“With the challenges facing higher education, I understand the importance of engagement through close collaboration and inclusiveness, both across divisions and across town,” Byers said. “I look forward to joining the team at WCU and providing stable yet innovative leadership for the Division of Administration and Finance, and contributing as a member of the executive team toward the mission and focus of the institution.”
