The University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees approved a $161.6 million operating budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year Friday during its meeting. The budget calls for a 2.08 percent, $5.32 per credit hour, increase in tuition and fees.
UCA would be fifth in overall cost – tuition, fees, room and board – among the other state institutions based on the new tuition and fees, said UCA President Tom Courtway.
“UCA is a tremendous educational value for a family,” Courtway said.
View FY13 Comparison.
The fiscal year 2012-13 budget includes a tuition increase of $3.70 per hour for undergraduate and $4.55 per hour for graduate. The increase will generate nearly $1 million in additional revenue. The additional revenue will be applied toward increases in fixed costs.
The total for tuition and fees will be $3,666.05 per semester compared to $3,591.25 per semester last fiscal year. There is no increase in the board plan rates. The new budget also eliminates a $5 per semester testing fee. Room rates will increase by three percent.
The budget also calls for a $1.62 per credit hour for the Health Physical Education and Recreation fee. The fee will help finance an expansion project for the HPER Center. The expansion is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2014.
The increase in tuition and HPER fees will generate about $1.3 million in new revenue.
The 2012-13 budget is a $2 million increase from the previous fiscal year. State appropriation represents 35.07 percent — about $56.7 million — of the total budget revenue. The education and general tuition and fee budget comprises 42.39 percent — $68.5 million — of the total budgeted revenue.
The budget also addresses needs prioritized by the Budget Advisory Committee and the university’s strategic plan. They include:
• Disaster recovery upgrades, $994,920;
• Faculty step raises, $134,930;
• Nursing position, $73,380;
• Enrollment Management plan, $237,370.
“This is a lean, tight budget,” Courtway said following the presentation.
In other business, trustees:
• Set UCA President Courtway’s salary at $210,000 a year effective July 1. HIs previous salary was $162,577. Courtway requested not to receive a contract, severance package or car allowance.
Adopted a new board policy regarding the protection of minors on campus. The policy makes it clear that suspected child maltreatment or abuse should be immediately reported to both the University Police as well as state officials and that immediate action should be taken to both protect the minor and report the violation.
• Authorized the administration to establish a Diversity Advisory Committee that will prepare and submit a comprehensive report to the Board of Trustees and the President no later than Jan. 31, 2013 on how to staff a diversity office and improve the university’s efforts to promote diversity; recommend changes in language to be included in university publications and advertisements on the subject of diversity. Also, the committee would prepare an annual report to be presented to the trustees and the president.
