TERRE HAUTE — Indiana State University trustees approved some of the slimmest fee hikes in the state Friday while trimming their overall budget to reflect revenue cuts.
During the meeting of the ISU Board of Trustees, the organization approved what officers described as the smallest tuition and fee increases in the state at 3.5 percent for each of the next two years.
Board president Ron Carpenter said universities such as ISU are in tough positions considering cuts made by the state. ISU has to make up about $3.9 million in funding cuts this year while maintaining a competitive program, he said.
Still, Diann McKee, vice president for business affairs and finance, said the increase in tuition and fees at ISU are lower in percentages and gross dollars than those being made at Indiana University-Bloomington, Purdue University, or Ball State University.
Indiana residents enrolled as full-time students for the 2011-12 year will pay $3,991 per semester, reflecting an increase of $134, according to information provided by the university. Total tuition and fees for 2012-13 will be $4,030 per semester. According to information provided at the meeting, undergraduate classes will be $282 per credit hour for those students taking up to 11.5 credit hours in 2011-12. That price will increase to $292 in 2012-13 .
ISU President Dan Bradley said the organization will continue to balance the reduced state revenues with tuition-management strategies.
“While we had hoped for an even smaller increase, and in fact tried to make a lesser amount work, we found that we could not do so and still maintain the progress necessary to achieve the goals of our strategic plan and ensure a quality education,” Bradley said. “ISU remains the most affordable of Indiana’s public research institutions. Maintaining affordability and quality are our prime considerations. Consistent with past practice, we are increasing institutional financial aid for eligible students by 3.5 percent.”
The trustees approved a fiscal 2012 budget totaling $143.55 million, representing a reduction of 0.5 percent, or $660,000. The budget also reflects nearly $2.3 million in reallocations, officials stated.
“During the past three years, ISU’s state appropriation has declined by more than $9.2 million, or about 12 percent and the latest cuts bring the university’s state appropriation down to 1996 levels,” McKee said in a prepared release. “Indiana State has made significant cuts in expenditures for the past several years to control costs and provide resources to address unavoidable increases in areas such as health care, utilities and repair and rehabilitation.”
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