¾«¶«Ó°Òµ

At its June 6 meeting, the ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ University Board of Trustees took action on the following items:

Trustees Endorse FY 2013 University Budget That Supports Major Campus Improvements

¾«¶«Ó°ÒµBoard approved a balanced educational and operating budget for ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ University’s eight-campus system as it commended the university’s leadership for demonstrating sound and strategic management through difficult financial times.

¾«¶«Ó°Òµbudget reflects the fourth year that the Responsibility Center Management budget model, which encourages strategic and creative use of funds, has been used by academic units; additional funding for student scholarships, international programs, new faculty and advisor positions, library collections and public safety; costs associated with new contract agreements with employees represented by bargaining units; anticipated increases in health-insurance costs for employees; financial activities associated with the new ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ University College of Podiatric Medicine; a 3.5-percent tuition increase that helps to offset a state appropriation that decreased 8.6 percent ($12.1 million) from the amount received in fiscal year 2011; and the launch of several large-scale projects, including new and renovated buildings, to bring aging university facilities up to world-class standards.

¾«¶«Ó°Òµbudget, which totals $616.4 million ($616,498,803), spans fiscal year 2012-13 (July 1, 2012–June 30, 2013).

¾«¶«Ó°Òµ Creates Cuban Studies Institute

¾«¶«Ó°Òµ has seized the opportunity to become a regional leader in developing scholarly relationships in Cuba by creating the Cuban Studies Institute. ¾«¶«Ó°Òµinstitute, which will be effective Fall Semester 2012, will work to build sustainable, collaborative educational and research relationships in Cuba; and will support interdisciplinary collaboration across ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ colleges and throughout Northeast Ohio, the United States and Cuba.

¾«¶«Ó°Òµinstitute’s goals include expanding student and faculty experiences abroad; encouraging collaboration and research in areas such as the arts, education, public health, family studies, literature and the sciences; and promoting outreach through seminars, lectures and special events. ¾«¶«Ó°ÒµBoard gave authorization for the institute through the Fall Semester 2014.

¾«¶«Ó°Òµinstitute will partner with the university’s Office of Global Education to apply for licensure with the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, a requirement for research and/or study abroad in Cuba.

¾«¶«Ó°Òµcreation of the institute was approved previously by the university’s Educational Policy Council and Faculty Senate.

New Science and Nursing Building Approved for ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ Stark

In response to the continuing expansion of the nursing and science programs at ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ University at Stark, the Board authorized a $17 million ($17,015,722) project to build a new, 41,140-square-foot Science and Nursing Building adjacent to the Main Hall. Funding will be provided from campus funds, the state’s capital appropriation to the university and from private donations.

¾«¶«Ó°Òµstate-of-the-art building will include classrooms, lecture halls, laboratories and faculty offices associated with the biology, physics, geology and nursing programs. ¾«¶«Ó°Òµproject also will include renovation of approximately 5,250 square feet of the existing Main Hall East Wing, and limited site improvements and parking enhancements.

Construction of the new building is expected to begin in fall 2013 and be completed by summer 2015.

 to see the complete version of these and additional board actions taken by the ¾«¶«Ó°Òµ University Board of Trustees on June 6.