Students aren't the only ones holding their breath today as the Board of Trustees votes on not only the proposed tuition increase, but also salary and wages, and the general fund budget.
Board President Hollis Hughes said his biggest concern isn't tuition. It's keeping good faculty. He's served on the board for 20 years, and he said setting tuition doesn't get easier over the years.
"I'm very much concerned about retaining quality at Ball State," he said. "People coming behind you will be getting less for more dollars."
Paying more might be the only solution, he said.
Vice President for Business Affairs Randy Howard said he'll give a presentation to the board similar to what was given during the public forum a few weeks ago.
"The only change is an addition," he said. "I'll talk about the commission's recommendation and explain how we came up with our recommendation."
The proposed tuition increases help cover $11 million of the $13 million decrease in state funding for this biennium. Howard said the university is trying to find efficiencies in several areas around campus, and revisions to the university health care plan will actually save more money than originally budgeted.
The tuition recommendations call for a 3.9 percent increase, or $342 for in-state students, in undergraduate tuition next year and a 4.9 percent increase, or $422, the following year.
It includes raising graduate level tuition to 122 percent of undergraduate tuition, reflected in a 9.1 percent tuition increase for in-state students next year and a 10 percent increase for out-of-state students.
In the midst of raising tuition, Ball State is also finding ways to help students pay for college.
It's increasing the amount of university-sponsored scholarships by about 9 percent and making sure that students will retain financial aid that's based on tuition levels.
Howard said he will propose changes for financial aid and fee remission so that students can retain the value of various financial aid that would have changed due to the new tuition structure.
Hughes said before voting on anything, he wants to know the context of Ball State's tuition compares to other Indiana schools.
"We probably should've been higher last year," he said. "But all you can do is absorb the loss."
It doesn't matter if Indiana has the cheapest education, he said. What matters is having a high level of education.
While he's unsure of the turnover rate at Ball State, Hughes said he's worried that faculty might want to leave because they're not being compensated well enough.
"You always have to look at what you're providing not for students, but everyone else as well," he said.
Board of Trustees meeting
What: Meeting to set tuition, salary and wages and general fund budget for 2011-2012
When: 3 p.m.
Where: L.A. Pittenger Student Center
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