AU Board to tackle tuition

The Auburn University Board of Trustees will finally get to talk tuition Friday.

The board usually talks about tuition at its April meetings, but members agreed to postpone any decision regarding a potential increase until after the state education budget was approved.
When the Legislature passed a $6.3 billion budget at the end of May, it reduced revenue to the Auburn University System by nearly $41 million, with AU taking the biggest hit with a $26 million cut. The system also includes Auburn-Montgomery, Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station.

As first reported in the Opelika-Auburn News earlier this month, the university administration plans to recommend the board approve a 12 percent hike in tuition to help with the shortfall.

Dr. Don Large, Auburn’s executive vice president, said the additional revenue from tuition will generate about half of what the main campus will need. He said an additional $14 million is needed to cover increases in areas like operations and maintenance of existing and new buildings, debt service and promotions, as well as some areas trustees have pledged to support, including scholarships, enrollment management, the honors college and security.

The Board of Trustees from the University of Alabama System found themselves in a similar predicament and approved a tuition hike last week to deal with a $75 million deficit. Out-of-state students attending the Huntsville campus this fall will face the largest increase at nearly 19 percent per semester. Out-of-state students attending classes in Tuscaloosa face the smallest increase at 9 percent. In-state students on the main campus will see a 12 percent hike.

Alabama trustees also agreed to cut more than 300 jobs between the Huntsville and Birmingham campuses.

AU Strategic Plan

Auburn President Dr. Jay Gogue will also recommend the board approve a final draft of key strategic priorities of the new strategic plan. The board received an initial draft back in February. Since then, the administration has identified six key areas that form the backbone of the strategic plan, including elevating academics, building research, and redesigning extension and outreach.

Gogue said the challenge for the board will be to determine what initiatives within the plan can be implemented now, under current budget constraints. Once approved, Gogue will be in charge of implementation the plan and keeping the board apprised of progress. The plan will be reviewed annually.

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