According to Board member Ronnie Smith, state appropriations in 2008 were around $49,300,000 compared to this year’s $37,200,000. That figure includes $3,300,000 in stimulus money, and the university expects the stimulus funding to come to an end in fiscal year 2010-2011.
Board member Randall Jones was reluctant to vote on the issue until more discussion was held and other options were looked at.
“I would like to table this for further discussion with the board to see what we can do as far as cutting costs here before we put it on the backs of our students,” said Jones.
Wanting to make a decision so students can be prepared for any new costs, the board immediately went forward with discussion on what was being done to help lower costs in other areas.
Smith explained why the Building and Finance Committee came to their decision.
“I share the same concerns, “ said Smith, “but as a member of the committee, I have been in much discussion with Mr. (Clint) Carlson and Dr. (William) Meehan relative to these matters over the last two to three years. We have not had rate increases for our faculty, which I think even with this we have not committed to any rate increase. This is what we felt was necessary to maintain the quality…There have been cuts and reductions and jobs that have gone unfilled, and those things have been looked at.”
Smith said that just to make up the loss of the stimulus money, the tax base in the state would have to increase by 15 percent just to make that up. He said that he predicts more rises in the future.
“I think even with this, there is no guarantee that there will not be further actions unless we can find further reductions,” said Smith. “We contemplated that, we discussed it. I would hope if the state recovers and the economy recovers we could reconsider future actions, but I do think what we are asking for right now will stave off a double digit increase in the future.”
Board member Jim Coxwell said if action was not taken this time, next year would have been worse.
“If we didn’t make this one now, we were going to have a great big one next year, and I am trying to cut that one down by doing that this year…we got to make it up somewhere,” said Coxwell.”
JSU’s President, Dr. Meehan, said the school does not charge extra fees, such has additional money to be excepted into certain colleges, like other institutions. Meehan said that he does not feel like this move will hurt enrollment and that he expects JSU to continue to charge the median amount for tuition compared with other institutions in the area.
Board member Jamie (Red) Etheredge wanted everyone to know what the raise would not go for.
“I would like to emphasize one thing that I want the students and the whole community and faculty and everybody to know,” said Etheredge. “This increase is not going toward paying for the football stadium.”
Undergraduate tuition will now be $226 per credit hour for in state students and $452 per credit hour for out of state students. Graduate tuition will now be $298 per credit hour for in state students and $596 per credit hour for out of state students. Undergraduate distance learning classes will be charged at the rate of $280 per credit hour and $353 per credit hour.
The tuition changes will take place starting in the 2010 Fall semester.
The JSU Board of Trustees also heard a report on the new Elite Honors Program, in which scholarship recipients not only take honor classes, but also work on community projects together. Dr. Meehan also announced that the university would be offering a new degree: Master of Fine Arts in Visual Communication and Design. It is the first program of its kind in the state of Alabama.
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