ATHENS, Ohio -- University trustees today set tuition and fees for the upcoming academic year, added two non-voting "national" members to their board, and approved construction plans for a Bicentennial Park being designed by celebrated architect and Athens native Maya Lin.

Adhering to caps established in the state budget signed yesterday by Ohio Gov. Bob Taft, university officials recommended an increase of six percent in tuition and 3.9 percent in the form of a technology fee. Incoming and sophomore returning students will pay an average of $7,128 a year in tuition and fees, an increase of about $260 per quarter. Non-resident students will pay approximately $15, 351. Juniors and seniors will pay $6,792 a year. Regional campuses will charge $132 dollars per credit hour, except for the Southern Campus in Ironton, which will charge $121 per credit hour.

Fees for in-state graduate students will be $7,953 and $15,285 for nonresident graduate students.

Students living in the residence halls will pay about $7,400 a year for room and board, an increase of $200 per quarter.

Trustees unanimously approved the university's FY 03-04 budget of $283,053,000. That budget reflects cuts of more than $8 million from the university's base budget, as well as savings gained from a hiring freeze imposed last February and an employee early retirement plan initiated in May. Officials expect that about 140 employees will take the early retirement option by the beginning of the new fiscal year, July 1, which is also the date that a medical clinic formerly operated as part of the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine will become a private enterprise.

"Just like so many families, businesses, and agencies in these difficult economic times, Ohio University has been presented with a long list of challenges," said President Robert Glidden. "The past year has been particularly difficult, but I'd like to think that with the help of some very committed employees and by grinding away at the numbers, we've faced down the most threatening problems without compromising the quality of a degree from Ohio University."

Among the quality initiatives on tap for the upcoming fiscal year is an equity adjustment for full and associate professors, Glidden said. Over $800,000 has been set aside to make the adjustments in January 2004 if the budget allows. Other academic excellence initiatives were scaled back but "are still very much alive," Glidden said, including funds to add more faculty to continue to decrease class size and funds to move forward on updating the general education curriculum.

The 3.9 percent technology and scholarship fee will allow the university to offer up to $1.3 million more in need-based scholarship aid, Glidden noted.

University employees, including the president, will receive raises of two percent. Glidden, entering his tenth year as president, will receive $276,420 a year.

Robert Walter, the newly-elected chair of the trustees, announced that two Ohio University alumni have agreed to serve as non-voting members of the board, a first for the state. "We want to have as strong a board of trustees as possible," Walter said. Wilfred R. Konneker, a researcher and entrepreneur in the field of nuclear medicine, graduated from Ohio University in 1943. Konneker, who lives in St. Louis, Mo., will serve a two-year term. J. Michael ("Mike") Lawrie, IBM's senior vice president and group executive for sales and distribution, graduated from Ohio University in 1975. Lawrie resides in White Plains, N.Y., and will serve for three years.

"Will Konneker is known as the father of Ohio University's Innovation Center, and he has been instrumental to research and job creation in our area. Mike Lawrie brings a broad business perspective to our board. We are extraordinarily fortunate to have alumni of this caliber willing to devote the time and energy to not just Ohio University and the campuses it serves in this region, but indeed, to students in the state and beyond. It's a great example of our scope and vigor as the university heads into its third century," Glidden said.

Trustees approved the use of funds from the state capital bill, the percent-for-art-fund and local funds for construction of Bicentennial Park. The $490,000 project, designed by Maya Lin, will begin construction this summer and will be complete for the university's bicentennial celebration next May.

Trustees also approved the following items:

• A joint venture agreement to provide a child development and family service center on Ohio University Chillicothe Campus. The partners include Ross County MRDD, the local United Way and others.
• Begin work on expanding Elson Hall on Ohio University Zanesville Campus
• Approved tenure or promotions for 61 faculty
• Appointed Richard C. Weiser as a member of the Ohio University Lancaster Campus Coordinating Council and Charles Cooper as a member of the Ohio University Southern Campus Coordinating Council.

Trustees will next meet on Sept. 18 and 19 at Ohio University Athens campus.