BOG approves budget, tuition increase

The West Virginia University Board of Governors has approved several policies and projects for 2013, including a $917 million-dollar budget, the acquisition of the Suncrest Center and Plaza and a five percent tuition increase. The BOG also approved a policy banning tobacco use on campus, which will come into effect July 1, 2013.

With the approval of the new budget, officials said that a new compensation model will be introduced for staff, which includes $10 million for faculty and staff salary increases.

According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, WVU’s average full-time professor salary has risen $38,600 since 2000 – a higher change than the national average. However, for the 2011-12 school year, average professor salaries at WVU were below the national median.

Raises will go into effect in October.

The budget also includes a 5 percent tuition increase for students on the Morgantown campus. Specifically, this is equal to a $145 increase per semester for resident undergraduates and a $449 increase for non-resident undergraduates.

This includes a new one-time fee that replaces individual course fees and undergraduate resident tuition will change from $2,837 to $3,045 per semester, and non-resident tuition from $8,922 to $9,434 per semester.

Even with this increase, tuition costs at WVU remain below the national average.

WVU Provost Michele Wheatly said increases in tuition, budget and salaries will maintain WVU’s commitment to excellence.

"These modest increases will provide additional revenue for our campus in order to continue to offer our students the classes, the facilities and the academic excellence they deserve," she said in a press release. "While other states have realized drastic cuts to state funding, our legislature has continued to keep our state’s higher education commitment steady. We are truly appreciative of that support; however, we still must deal with rising costs and a competitive marketplace to keep WVU’s programs and facilities competitive with our peer flagships across the country."

The BOG also approved the acquisition of the Suncrest Center and Plaza from Glenmark Holding for $26.3 million. The 5.5 acre property on Van Voorhis Road includes the Suncrest Center, Suncrest Executive Plaza II, Applebee’s restaurant and additional parking, including surface lots and a garage.

The property will be jointly owned by WVU and WVU Hospitals, and all income, rent, profit and management will be shared.

The existing tenants’ leases will be honored, and the acquisition is still subject to the approval of the Higher Education Policy Commission, the Joint Committee on Government and Finance and the Health Care Authority.