University of Oregon trustees will discuss many topics from financial reports and strategic planning, to a new building and research. Importantly, it will also consider a proposed 3.7 percent tuition and fee increase for next year in a series of campus meetings beginning Wednesday.
The tuition proposal was forwarded to the board by the president and provost. The Tuition and Fee Advisory Board, which provided recommendations to the president and provost, held eight meetings from October through February to discuss budget and tuition issues. The advisory board gave its recommendation to acting Provost Frances Bronet on Feb. 12, and a campus forum was held Feb. 16 in coordination with the Associated Students of the University of Oregon.
Members of the Finance and Facilities Committee will first consider the proposal at their March 4 meeting, which will be held at 2:30 p.m. in Room 403 of the Ford Alumni Center. The committee’s recommendation will be considered by the full Board of Trustees of the UO the next day, the first of two days of meetings.
The full board will meet Thursday, March 5, at 8 a.m. in the Giustina Ballroom of the Ford Alumni Center and again Friday, March 6, at 10 a.m. in the same location.
Members of the tuition advisory board reviewed budget information, tuition at comparator schools, cost pressures and other financial information before making its recommendation. The board is co-chaired by Jamie Moffitt, vice president for finance and administration, and Brad Shelton, interim vice president for research and vice provost for budget and planning.
The tuition board includes four students as well as faculty, deans, vice presidents, vice provosts and administrative staff from budgeting, institutional research and financial aid.
Under the proposal, non-resident undergraduate tuition would increase 3.8 percent, to $8,505 a year from the current $8,190. Fees for both resident and non-resident undergraduate students would increase 3.2 percent, to $1,783 a year from this year’s $1,728.
Tuition and fees combined would be $10,288 for in-state undergraduates, a 3.7 percent increase from this year’s total figure of $9,918.
In other matters, the Board of Trustees will consider other resolutions relating to the gift of a building from the City of Eugene, board operations and university policy-making.
Also on Thursday, trustees will have lunch with groups of students to learn more about the graduate and undergraduate student experience, and the board will get an update on the marketing and branding initiative and hear academic presentations on the UO School of Law and the College of Arts and Sciences. It will also get an overview of the University Counseling and Testing Center and University Health Center and then visit those centers and the Oregon Humanities Center.
On Friday, after meeting in small groups with faculty from across the campus, the board will hear presentations on the UO diversity framework; innovation, technology transfer and economic development; and athletics.
—By Greg Bolt, Public Affairs Communications