Samford University’s board of trustees heard extensive reports on the university’s ongoing strategic planning process and approved increased tuition and room and board rates for 2008–2009 during its April 29 meeting. Trustees also approved a projected operating budget for 2008–2009 of about $113 million.
Undergraduate tuition will increase 7.7 percent, and room and board will increase an average of 4.5 percent.
The university’s fiscal year begins July 1, but new fees begin with the summer term in June. The strategic planning process includes updated master planning philosophies, assessment strategies and a strategic enrollment plan for managed growth of just under 5,000 students by 2013.
The master planning philosophies deal with programmatic goals, facilities management, resources management, endowment, deferred maintenance and environmental effectiveness.
Part of achieving these goals will include a capital campaign, which will likely launch this fall, said W. Randall Pittman, vice president for university relations.
The campaign will have a goal of more than $200 million over a five-year period.
“This is more than three times the largest previous campaign the university has had,” he said. University officials and architects provided updates on potential renovation and expansion plans for the Ralph W. Beeson University Center.
Plans call for doubling space in the building and centralizing most student-oriented services in one building on campus.
The project is expected to be central to the proposed campaign, Pittman said.
Trustees authorized the university administration to explore options for new residence facilities on campus.
Plans may include replacement of Ramsay Hall and Odom Lane student apartments to build one or more residence halls to accommodate anticipated future undergraduate growth, according to Harry B. Brock III, Samford’s vice president for business affairs.
Design and construction of the facilities will take approximately two years.
Brock said the university is negotiating short-term options to meet current residence shortfalls caused by the recent collapse of the Ramsay Hall roof.
“As we have improved the physical environment of the campus generally, we have not always kept up with our residence facilities,” said Samford President Andrew Westmoreland.
“This has put us at a disadvantage at times with current and prospective students,” he said. “Increasingly we have faced the challenge that we are not paying appropriate attention to residence halls. It is a matter of keeping pace with what needs to happen with our residence facilities. This is one of the most important things this board will do over the next year.”
In other business, trustees:
– approved a recommendation to add a third level to a previously approved football field house.
Westmoreland told trustees that the third level would initially be a shell that could eventually provide for transition needs during campus construction and possible future expansion for athletics.
– heard that the department of marketing and management in the Brock School of Business was renamed the department of entrepreneurship, management and marketing to reflect new academic programs now offered.
New business degree programs approved include bachelor’s degrees in entrepreneurship, finance and marketing and a joint bachelor’s degree and master of accountancy degree consistent with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ requirements for professional certification.
– approved recommendations for updating the university’s bond services.
– heard a report that the university had received more than $17.6 million in annual gifts through March 2008 bringing the university’s endowment to about $304.5 million.
– heard from Dean of Admission and Financial Aid R. Phil Kimrey that applications for fall are at a record 2,110. (SU, TAB)
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