Trustees Raise Tuition + Pay

OHIO STATE TUITION TO RISE 6%; STUDENT SERVICES TO INCREASE

     COLUMBUS -- Beginning next fall, undergraduate students at The Ohio
State University will pay 6 percent more for their tuition.  Officials said
better and more user friendly services will be among the benefits students
will receive for their increased fees.

     The Board of Trustees voted Friday (5/5) to increase tuition 4 percent.
A vote on the remaining 2 percent was deferred until the June 2 meeting in
accordance with state budget language that would require a second vote to
raise tuition above 4 percent.

     The 6 percent increase in tuition will cost an in-state full-time
undergraduate student an additional $186 per year, for a total of $3,273.  A
5 percent increase was also added to the tuition surcharge paid by
non-resident students.  The average out-of-state undergraduate will pay $498
more per year for a total of $9,813.

     All graduate and professional students except those studying law or
dentistry will pay 5 percent more.  Full-time resident graduate students
will pay $225 more per year, or a total of $4,707, and full-time
non-residents will pay $582 more per year, or $12,222 total.

     Annual tuition for Ohio State law students will go up 9.1 percent, or
$488 more, for a total of $5,864; and for out-of-state law students, 7
percent, or $912 more for a total of $13,978 a year.  In-state dentistry
students will see their fees rise 7.8 percent, or $582 more for a total of
$8,013; and non-resident dental students will see a 6 percent increase, or
$1,317 more for a total of $23,451.  Additional fees above the 5 percent
general increase will be returned to the colleges of Law and Dentistry to
benefit students in those programs.

     Richard Sisson, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost,
noted that students will receive expanded and improved student services in
exchange for the higher tuition.

     "The budget objective for the next two years is to enhance the quality
of the education and campus experience of our students," Sisson said.  "Part
of this objective includes moving beyond a minimal level of financial
equilibrium to a position of financial growth where resources are available
to reinvest in the highest academic priorities of the university.

     "Our students will receive more summer course offerings, additional
high quality academic programs and shorter lines or no lines to collect
their student loans," Sisson said.

     By not having to deal with budget cuts for the first time in five
years, university officials are looking to undertake several key new
initiatives in the new budget, including enhancing the quality of student
life, providing customer-friendly service, and offering more summer courses.
Other goals are to invest revenues in strong academic programs, more student
research opportunities, a more diverse student body and a safer campus.

     Trustees approved a 4 percent increase in payroll, to be distributed by
deans and managers according to merit.  The board also approved a pool of
funds equal to 1 percent of payroll to be used for pay increases needed to
provide market equity or to reward exceptional merit.  Student workers also
will receive pay raises, and scholarship amounts will be increased to offset
tuition and other cost increases.

     One percent of the undergraduate instructional fee will be set aside
for future improvements to services.  William J. Shkurti, vice president for
finance, said items for consideration will include instructional computing,
student organizations, recommendations of the Committee on the Undergraduate
Experience, additional library services, and improvements to facilities used
primarily by students.  However, Shkurti noted that the $800,000 to $900,000
set-aside will not be enough to fund all initiatives.  Recommendations will
be made in June after consultations with student groups, the University
Senate Fiscal Committee, and the Council on Student Affairs.

     The focus of the budget for the next two years will be to:

-- Improve the quality of academic programs, research, services, and the
undergraduate student experience, and to recruit the best students.

-- Maintain financial equilibrium by planning enrollment, limiting
multi-year commitments, sharing information, and holding managers
accountable for their spending.

-- Identify additional resources for reinvestment through restructuring and
reallocation, private fund raising, incentive-based budgeting and improved
recovery of costs.

-- Provide pay for performance, adopt a performance-based management system
and improve the university's planning and analysis capabilities.

-- Improve the community by placing a greater value on diversity, improving
student financial aid services, making student services more user-friendly,
and improving the campus environment and safety.

     Ohio State continues to be a "best buy," even with the increases,
according to Shkurti.  He cited the university's reputation for excellence
and noted that tuition will remain much less than fees charged by most other
public universities in Ohio and by many comparable teaching and research
universities across the nation. 

     The tuition increase, combined with a targeted enrollment of 48,700,
and an anticipated increase in state instructional subsidies, is expected to
generate a 3.4 percent increase in revenues for the fiscal year that begins
July 1.  Spending is expected to increase 5.1 percent, thanks to a carryover
of $9.2 million in unanticipated instructional subsidies received but not
spent during fiscal 1995.  The complete budget will be presented to the
board for approval in June.

                                  #

Contact:  Richard Sisson, 292-5881, or William Shkurti, 292-9232.


[Submitted by: Von Reid-Vargas (ereid@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)
               
Tue, 9 May 1995 16:00:03 -0400]
All documents are the responsibility of their originator.