ATHENS, Ohio -- Officials of Ohio University said Friday, Dec. 7, that they do not plan to raise tuition for winter quarter, despite a bleak state budget picture.

"We do not plan to raise tuition midyear, and we should be able to keep to that plan unless we encounter significant additional state budget cuts," said President Robert Glidden.

The sluggish economy and subsequent state budget problems will undoubtedly require the university to continue to find ways to bridge the gap, Glidden told trustees gathered here for their December meeting. Mid-year state budget cuts resulted in a $9.2 million loss for the Ohio University system. Glidden did not rule out a spring quarter tuition increase.

"The university has shown prudent management of its resources and that allowed us to handle recent state budget cuts without taking extreme measures," Glidden said. But as officials begin preparing next year's budget, "everything and anything" will be on the table, said acting Provost Gary Schumacher.

Trustees also approved the university's plans to move forward as one of eight universities chosen last week by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to host a regional center. Following a competitive review process, the NEH selected Ohio University over Michigan State University to host the Central Region Humanities Center, which will provide opportunities for research, education and service to communities in five states.

The center, a collaboration among the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Fine Arts and Communication, and Alden Library, will be housed on The Ridges. It will support teaching and research in the humanities and American cultural studies in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and West Virginia.

"The award recognizes Ohio University's commitment to American cultural studies, its regional humanities leadership, its technological sophistication and the intellectual excellence of its faculty," said Joseph Slade, a professor of telecommunications who will direct the institute with Judith Yaross Lee, a professor of interpersonal communication. "More than 500 individuals from other universities, cultural organizations and community groups throughout our five-state region collaborated on this proposal and deserve credit for the center's success in the NEH competition. The award elevates Ohio University to national prominence in the humanities."

When the NEH launched the humanities initiative last year, the agency pledged an endowment of $5 million to the Central Region Humanities Center, to be matched by $15 million from Ohio University. However, the agency has since reduced the endowment to a one-time award of about $380,000 to cover start-up and operational costs, which is to be matched 3 to 1 by the university. Each of the eight regional centers across the country received the same amount, said Slade, who added that he and Yaross Lee are consulting with directors in other regions to discuss possible solutions to the funding situation. The University of California, Davis; Tulane; Temple; University of Wisconsin-Madison; University of Nebraska; University of Southwest Texas; and a consortium including the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech and the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities were the other winners.

In other business, trustees met provost-designee Stephen J. Kopp, reviewed preliminary plans for a Student Center and named Zanesville residents Robert L. Moehrman, Jr. and Elizabeth Ann Rogers Burrier as members of the Coordinating Council of Ohio University-Zanesville.

The next board meeting will be held January 28 and 29 at a location to be announced.