Ball State had its only formal chance to sway Indiana's Ways and Means Committee Wednesday before the committee crafts the state's two-year budget.
President Blaine Brow-nell used his 40 minutes at the podium to push for a 7 percent increase in state funding to support the university's operating budget. The increase would partially pay for a 2 percent salary increase for faculty, though the 2 percent would basically cover only inflation.
He also fought for the $21 million Commun-
ication Media Building, saying the building - Ball State's only capital project - could help deplete the state's $760 million deficit by creating a commercial hub in Muncie.
Rep. Jeff Espich, R-Uniondale, wanted some assurance that tuition would not increase substantially next year if he supported the 2 percent increase for faculty.
Espich lamented that, even in the state's generous years, universities have placed too much of a burden on students.
"We are in a pattern...where a higher proportion of higher education costs are being shifted to the students," Espich said.
Brownell replied that he would prefer Ball State remain in its position slightly below Purdue and Indiana universities.
But Espich dropped the question after Brownell would not give any specific numbers.
"I won't ask you to be any more explicit, because I know you won't be," he said.
After the meeting, Espich said other universities responded with similar vagueness, though he said he will continue to probe the issue.
Tom Morrison, director of state fiscal relations, later said Brownell couldn't give a specific figure Wednesday. Tuition can't be determined, Morrison said, until more factors are known, including state appropriations.
Committee members remained silent, however, on all universities' capital projects requests.
Members of the Ways and Means Committee will hold many more deliberations before they present a budget bill to the House.
After that, the Senate Finance Committee will create its own budget. Ball State may have the chance to meet with the Finance Committee, Morrison said, but he won't know until March.
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