Oklahoma State University FY 2013 budget receives approval from Board of Regents
Friday, June 15, 2012
OSU/A&M Board of Regents today approved a $1.097 billion budget for FY 2013 for the Oklahoma State University system so it can continue its mission of instruction, research and outreach across the state of Oklahoma. This year’s budget includes $238.5 million in state appropriations.
“Oklahoma State University is pleased and grateful state lawmakers and leaders recognized the value higher education has on the economic and social progress of the state of Oklahoma,” said OSU President Burns Hargis.
Hargis continued, “OSU brings value to the state by educating citizens through its teaching and outreach, and conducting comprehensive research. The university brings millions of dollars into the state and improves the lives of Oklahomans and our world.”
The budget includes a small 2.8% increase in tuition and mandatory fees for in-state undergraduate students, which equates to approximately $200 per year more in tuition and mandatory fees for the majority of OSU students. Nonresident undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees will increase 4.7%. Tuition and mandatory fees for both in-state and nonresident graduate students will increase 6.5%.
“The decision to raise tuition is a difficult one,” said Hargis. “Our goal is to remain one of the best values in higher education while continuing to better serve our students and carry out our land-grant mission of instruction, research and outreach. We appreciate the financial sacrifice our students and their families must make in order to receive a higher education from OSU.”
The increase will pay for several enhancements to the student experience at OSU, including 42 new faculty positions as a result of continued growth in enrollment. Freshman enrollment increased 27 percent from 2008 to 2011 and is expected to jump once again this fall. This is the highest one-time increase in faculty in more than a decade. The additions will increase the availability of courses to facilitate graduation sooner.
In addition to faculty, the increase will pay for additional advisors and tutors to
support the growing student population, improve retention from freshman to sophomore
year, enhance the Math Learning Success Center and upgrade the advising software to
allow more efficient scheduling and communications between students and their advisors.
The university is able to limit the increase in tuition and mandatory fees thanks
to continued growth in enrollment and efforts to increase revenue, such as funds from
its $1 billion Branding Success Campaign. In addition, savings from our energy conservation
program have offset increased costs, residential life occupancy rates are near 98
percent and the Student Union is at full capacity following its major renovation.
This year’s budget will not include a pay increase for faculty and staff.
“Because we are basically working with a flat budget this year compared to last year, it is simply not fiscally responsible to increase pay,” Hargis said. “We certainly appreciate the work that our employees are doing. Our people are the most important resource we have at OSU.”
The OSU budget must now receive approval from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. If approved, the budget will take effect July 1, 2012.