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Tuesday,
February 03, 2004
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Increased
budget to provide for future
The
Board of Trustees set the budget for 2004-05 and discussed
strategic planning for TCUÕs future in its meeting Friday.
By
Jarod Daily
Staff Reporter
In addition to voting to increase tuition 11.9 percent
and joining the Mountain West Conference, the Board of
Trustees Friday approved a $248 million budget for the
2004-05 academic year.
Tuition was increased to help the university pay for the
$18 million budget increase, Vice Chancellor for Student
Affairs Don Mills said.
ÒThere was a long discussion about the budget for next
year, and with that, discussion of tuition increase,Ó
he said.
The expansion of the budget will be used to support many
aspects of the universityÕs operation, including:
¥ $4.5 million added to scholarship and financial aid.
More money may be allocated after examination of whether
this amount is sufficient to help students out with the
tuition increase.
¥ $3.1 million allocated to improving academic excellence
at the university, including hiring 16 new faculty members,
upgrading technology, adding to the library, extending
faculty development grants and supporting academic programs.
¥ $2.1 million to improve parking and increase bus service
to remote parking and housing areas.
¥ About $750,000 to support student services such as University
Career Services, orientation and Frog Camp. Chancellor
Victor Boschini stressed the importance of hiring new
faculty.
ÒThis will reinforce our studentsÕ educational experiences
by enabling them to engage in research with faculty either
directly or in the classroom,Ó he said in a press release.
ÒAdditional faculty also means smaller learning environments,
a critical component in teaching and mentoring.Ó Boschini
said the Board spent a lot of time discussing Vision in
Action, a strategic plan for the future of TCU.
ÒThat was probably the biggest item,Ó Boschini said. ÒTalking
about how TCU might look five years from now, 10 years
from now.Ó Vision in Action is a new planning initiative
to improve TCUÕs standing in various areas including athletics,
diversity, community connections and technology improvements.
ÒVIA will clarify our studentsÕ educational experiences,
opening doors to creative learning and leadership opportunities
that are global in scope, real-life connections in the
community and world, and adventures in ideas that exceed
the boundaries of thought,Ó Boschini said.
Other topics the board discussed include an increase in
student body size by 2 percent over last springÕs enrollment
numbers and resolutions honoring former chancellor Michael
Ferrari and the late Cecil Green, a TCU trustee.
ÒWeÕre doing everything we can to make the university
better,Ó said Malcolm Louden, a trustee. ÒThatÕs the overriding
thing.Ó Louden said he wants the best for TCU, since he
attended the school, his oldest son attended his school,
his younger son is a freshman and he hopes his daughter
will also attend the school.
ÒI voted to pay it (the tuition) myself,Ó Louden said.
Mills said he was not surprised by any decisions made
by the Board because each issue had been discussed for
some time before the meeting. ÒThe real work of the trustees
is done in committees,Ó he said. |
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