Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, November 15, 1994 TAG: 9411150090
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: ALLISON BLAKE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
But an infusion of in-state students still isn't enough to make up the difference in tuition, so departments throughout the university are being asked to make further cuts to cover the $1.7 million shortfall.
The move is an effort "to stabilize the decline we've had," Henry Dekker, a member of Tech's Board of Visitors, said at Monday's meeting.
The university is down to about 24 percent out-of-state students, said Executive Vice President Minnis Ridenour. While overall enrollment at Tech is up by eight students, to a total of 23,873 students, the exact in-state/out-of-state split won't be available for several days, Ridenour said.
But it takes three Virginia students, paying $3,399 each, to bring in the same undergraduate tuition as an out-of-state student who pays $9,852.
This year's $1.7 million projected shortfall - which still could decrease - is an improvement over the $3.6 million shortfall that walloped the university when out-of-state enrollment first dropped off in 1992-1993.
The program to make up the difference was launched July 1, when departments throughout the university were asked to trim up to 3 percent of their budgets to return a total of $3.8 million to the administration to reallocate as needed. Where the money comes from is up to the departments - whether they freeze hiring, cut equipment funding, or find other savings in operating budgets, Ridenour said.
In other action, the board voted to support the university administration's recently launched effort to try to cut drinking among students. Each weekend, three or four students end up at Montgomery Regional Hospital because of alcohol poisoning, administrators say, and an effort to tighten punishments for drinking violations is being developed by the student affairs office.
by CNB