President Jo Ann Gora addressed student concerns about the possible increase in tuition and fees for next year during a public forum Thursday.
Gora is concerned about budget hearings going on in the Statehouse right now, but is remaining hopeful about state financial support, she said.
"Increased support from the state does not seem to be forthcoming this year," Gora said. "Student tuition and fees for next year are dependent upon the decisions being made by the legislature."
Students raised concerns at the forum about what programs or services would be affected if Ball State experienced cuts in state funding.
"I don't know where the cuts would come from, if we were forced to make them," Gora said. "We would always first preserve our academic programs and try to keep small class sizes."
Faculty and staff should not look for any significant salary increases in the near future if Ball State receives what it expects from the state.
"We would like to give our faculty and staff higher, more competitive salaries," Gora said, "but that depends on increased support from the state."
In the current budget, 76 percent goes to personnel, Gora said.
The university -- along with the state -- has been confronting a difficult financial situation over the past few years, Tom Kinghorn, vice president for Business Affairs, said.
Despite the financial difficulties, about 80 percent of Ball State undergraduates get some money from the university, whether it's in the form of grants, loans or scholarships, Kinghorn said.
Among the factors that drive up university costs are technology, financial aid, student expectations and competitive salaries for faculty and staff.
Some students said Ball State focuses only on what is best for traditional students and doesn't pay enough attention to non-traditional and graduate students.
"We have great faculty at Ball State, and I know we pay for quality, but the credit-bracket tuition system really discourages students from furthering their education here," Melinda Willey, graduate student, said. "The system appeals to traditional students, but I'm paying for too many credit hours."
Administrators are waiting for the Indiana legislature to convene before making budget decisions about the 2005-2006 academic year, Gora said.
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