Ohio University students will pay more for classes, dorms and food next year, after the Board of Trustees approved fee increases today.
After much discussion - and several trustees expressing how difficult the decision had been - the nine voting trustees unanimously approved a 3.5 percent tuition increase, a 2.5 percent increase in housing costs and a 2 percent increase in dining for next year.
During the meeting, board members said there aren't any other options for filling a projected $13.75 million hole in the university's budget for next year.
I
quite honestly haven't figured out a way not to do it trustee David Brightbill said.
Vice chairwoman M. Marnette Perry, who led the Resources Committee discussion on the proposals, said at the full board meeting today that she was glad administrators provided the board with a lot of detail about the budget.
I think we can feel really good about the work that was done by the university and when you look at how we've clarified it
how you've been very specific
how we know what we're going to do or not do
I think that that is really helpful
she said.
Much of the information OU President Roderick McDavis and his top staff gave the board was breakdowns for budget reductions the president released March 29.
Trustees said they recognized the need for fee increases because the university cannot get to its budget goals with cuts alone.
I along with all of us never take pleasure in increasing the burden on our students and their families
trustee Larry Schey said. On the other hand ... life is a balancing act and to merely cut things ... and damage the student experience and our academic quality
is not the answer.
The increases mean undergraduates currently paying $2,559 a quarter in tuition would pay $2,648 a quarter next year. OU estimates that a student living in a standard double with air conditioning and a 20-meal plan will pay an additional $213 next year -an extra $71 each quarter.
McDavis estimated that would bring in an additional $5.2 million in revenue, money OU expects to spend on scholarships, course sections, faculty and staff raises and enrollment initiatives.
Student Trustee Kyle Triplett said things could only get worse if the board didn't approve this increase, even though he was reluctant to up student costs.
We know that we have these problems
and I think that as President McDavis highlighted
without these tuition and fees
