Colorado State University Board of Governors Approves Budget, Tuition for 2006-2007 School Year

The Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System today approved a $328 million 2006-07 educational and general budget for Colorado State University that includes an increase of less than 1 percent to the university’s tuition revenue.

The plan includes a 2.5 percent or $42 per semester increase for resident undergraduates at the Fort Collins campus. Resident graduate students would pay an increase of 15 percent or $279 per semester, which remains $898 less per semester than Colorado State’s peers.

Out-of-state undergraduate students will pay an additional 4.5 percent or $325 per semester. Out-of-state graduate students would also pay an increase of 4.5 percent or $342 a semester – $331 less per semester than the university’s peers.

"At Colorado State we do everything we can to control increases in tuition. This increase of $42 will be among the lowest in the United States. Students and parents expect high quality from one of Colorado’s leading research universities, and the support of the Governor and legislature via funds from Referendum C make possible both quality improvements and very modest increases in tuition," said Larry Edward Penley, chancellor of the Colorado State University System. "Quality improvements at Colorado State are essential if we are to realize the vision of the CSU Board of Governors and set the standard as the 21st century land-grant institution, serving the community while addressing great global challenges."

Significant funding in this year’s Colorado State budget is being spent on learning investments to improve the quality of education at Colorado State. The approved budget increases will help create fellowships to recruit and retain high-quality students, will establish 15 new Graduate Teaching Assistant positions and will increase graduate stipends that are currently about 12 percent below the university’s peer averages.

"The university’s budget demonstrates a strong emphasis on the learning environment: $1 million toward new faculty positions, increasing the salary floor for our adjunct faculty, funding more GTAs to infuse additional writing into our core curriculum, enhancement and expansion of the honors program and continued expansion of the merit-based financial aid pool," said Tony Frank, senior vice president and provost. "These investments account for nearly 20 percent of the university’s new expenditures and demonstrate Colorado State’s strong commitment to the quality of the educational experience.

"When these investments are coupled with one of the largest benefit increases in university history and the salary increases, one also notes that slightly more than 50 percent of our new investments are in the people that bring the programs of Colorado State to life," Frank said. "This is a budget that will generate substantial improvements in our institution."

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