Colorado State University Budget for 2000-2001 Continues Support for Undergraduate Education, Information Technology

The State Board of Agriculture today approved a budget for Colorado State University for 2000-2001 that will provide funds to improve information technology in the classrooms, ensure the availability of popular classes for a growing student body and to recognize the best teachers on campus.

The $267 million budget also includes a special appropriation for the Professional Veterinary Medicine program, ranked second in the nation, to increase the number of seats available to resident students. In addition, funds were provided for a program that identifies and helps students having difficulty with their college careers.

Funding increases in these key areas were made possible largely through the support of the Joint Budget Committee and the state Legislature as well as a $2.3 million reallocation of funds by the university to these priority areas.

"Our focus at Colorado State University is on providing the best possible learning environment for students, and this budget reflects that emphasis," said President Albert C. Yates. "We greatly appreciate the support and hard work of the state Legislature and the Joint Budget Committee, and we now can continue dedicating resources to make this the premiere institution of choice for students in Colorado and across the nation."

The overall general education budget for the university increased by 4.5 percent, or $11.5 million, to $267.4 million, up from last year’s total of $255.9 million. Included in this total is an increase of $5 million in funding from the legislature’s general fund, or a 4.4 percent increase to $118.7 million this year, up from $113.7 million last fiscal year.

The $2.3 million reallocation is the first of a two-year program with fiscal-year 2002 reallocations planned at the same amount. Highlights of the budget include the following.

• More than $850,000 is being provided to undergraduate education in six areas:
• $290,000 for implementation of the core curriculum and the new Freshman Seminar program, designed to improve students’ transition to academic life;
• $210,000 to expand the availability of courses for students and to support enrollment growth;
• $53,200 for the new Distinguished Teaching Scholars Program, which emphasizes teaching, learning and academic advising and provides recognition for faculty that parallels the Distinguished Professor rank for research faculty;
• $213,000 for additional undergraduate scholarships;
• $42,400 in matching funds for the Life Sciences Advising Center; and
• $45,900 for the student-retention Early Warning Program.
• Information Systems and Technology base support will increase by $200,000. This is the second phase of a plan to allocate $950,000 in base funds to support technology raining. The current allocation brings the total to $350,000.
• The nationally renowned Professional Veterinary Medicine program received a special appropriation of $313,500 in funding to increase the number of seats available to resident students. This is the fourth such appropriation, which brings the total of state-subsidized seats to 55, an increase over the previous base of 240 seats to a new base of 295 seats.
• Total allocation to compensation for faculty and administrative professionals is going up 5.36 percent, including increases in benefits and promotions. In addition, the increase covers 12 new Distinguished Teaching Scholars, six of whom will be appointed this year.
• An increase in tuition of 2.9 percent for residents and 4 percent for nonresidents, as determined by the legislature. The mandatory student fee rate, approved by the Student Fee Review Board, was held to a low 1.6 percent increase.
• Enrollment growth is expected to continue, with total full-time student enrollment increasing by 1.2 percent to more than 23,000. In-state undergraduate enrollment is predicted to increase by more than 380 students for fall semester.