Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1990 [PAGE 493]

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1992]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

481

BUSINESS PRESENTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY

President Ikenberry introduced the topic of further discussion on the financial status of the University to the members of the board. The president spoke of the competing demands made upon the University to provide access to students and the diminishing State resources made available to the University to provide education. He then introduced the presentation to be made by Vice President Resek and Vice President Bazzani on current plans for setting tuition and fees for the coming year. Dr. Resek then presented data and an administrative analysis of possible increases in tuition and fees for the 1992-93 academic year. This was considered an introduction to recommendations that would be brought forward in April for the fees and in May for tuition. Dr. Resek reported that the Higher Education Price Index for the coming year was well above the Consumer Price Index. He noted that the State tax increase of 1989 that was designed to help education actually did not help the relative position of the University of Illinois. In fact, the College of Engineering at Urbana is now ranked 13 among its 14 peers. Dr. Resek indicated that a suggestion for a differential tuition for the Colleges of Engineering at both campuses was under construction. Dr. Bazzani presented a review of the fall college costs for students at the two campuses that included all fees and tuition, indicating that a total cost for an undergraduate student residing on campus at Urbana was $7,000 per year. He then described each of the specific fees a student pays. Dr. Bazzani pointed out that many facilities on the campuses, those called auxiliary facilities, are supported by student fees entirely. Examples of these are the student unions, the athletic facilities, the residence halls, and other buildings devoted to student services. He then described each of the specific student fees. Dr. Bazzani told the board that the fees for the Chicago campus would increase 4.9 percent and at the Urbana campus 5.1 percent. It was explained that these increases were driven by inflation. Not recommended by the administration was the continuation of a $1 fee charged to students to support the Illinois Student Association, a lobbying organization that represents student interests in the State capital. Housing costs at the two campuses were recommended to be increased by 5.8 percent at the Chicago campus for a total of $4,865, and by 4.2 percent at the Urbana campus for a total of $4,050, per year. Final recommendations will be presented at the April meeting of the board for student fees and in May for tuition for 1992-93. President Ikenberry concluded this discussion by adding that tuition for the next year must be higher than inflation but that the administration would recommend as conservative an increase as possible. He added that the ''unavoidable'' costs the University faces are lower than