The Daily Toreador - Student Newspaper of Texas Tech

Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Trent Barnes

After reviewing a 2008 budget proposal Saturday morning in the Administration building, the Texas Tech Board of Regents set a 4.4 percent ceiling on any potential tuition increases enacted at a later date for the academic year beginning in the fall of 2008.

As a preliminary decision on the path to the $580-million budget's approval in May, the cap restricts any 2008 tuition increases exceeding $9.33 for each enrolled credit hour or any increase exceeding $154.95 per student, per semester.

Because officials will subject the budget to additional changes between now and its finalization in May, tuition increases, if any, have yet to be determined.

"(The 4.4 percent cap) is a maximum, but we have not set a final number," said Texas Tech Chancellor Kent Hance. "We can tell it is not going to go above that, and that is below anything our competitors have come up with, but ours might well end up being zero."

Because administrators expect university spending in the next year to surpass 2007's budget by as much as $7 million, he said, the source of the additional funds also will be determined before the next board meeting in May.

The money to close the funding gap, according to the budget, could come through one or more potential avenues, including tuition increases, fund-balance transfers, budget cuts and/or an increase in technology fees.

"Between now and May, when we meet in May, we, along with administration, will work this budget a lot harder," said Board of Regents Chairman Scott Dueser. "Today is just a working process of going through the budget."

Additionally, the board applied a similar cap to the 2008 budget on another member of the Tech system, Angelo State University, which is not to increase its tuition by more than 13.9 percent, or $355.15 per student, per semester.

Regarding the controversial study about faculty work loads presented during the board's last meeting, Dueser said the board may revisit the study between now and its next meeting in May.

"Someone has gone out of their way to tell everybody that we are going to cut research," Hance said. "We're not cutting research. We're going to increase research. The only thing that's being looked at is the release time for service."

He then went on to say he has, as a recommendation for the proposed budget, prioritized the financing of a two-percent, merit-based pay raise for faculty.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools