The MSU Board of Trustees passed several proposals at its Dec. 5 meeting to create more campus parking and electrical power and to add gender identity to the university's anti-discrimination policy.
The board also, in light of the state's $920 million budget shortfall, pledged not to increase tuition for the spring semester if the state holds appropriation cuts at 3 percent or less.
When Gov. Jennifer Granholm's executive order was announced in mid-December, however, higher education appropriations were cut by 5 percent. University spokesman Terry Denbow said the board still plans to maintain tuition for the spring semester.
"Everyone's working very, very hard," he said, adding that the university will have to find other places to cut. "We're really going to have to call upon the university committee to creatively find ways to do this."
Fred Poston, vice president for finance and operations, said he expects university cuts to be about $14.7 million.
"These times are difficult, but you have to realize this'll pass," Poston said. "This is a great university going in and it'll be a great university coming out."
Poston said university officials are prioritizing services and programs when making cuts.
"We're trying to cut lower priority programs first," he said.
Besides discussing the impending budget problems, the trustees also approved several proposals to add services to the university.
A new 700-spot parking ramp, which could cost more than $11 million, is expected to be completed in 2006, said Jeff Kacos, director of Campus Park and Planning. The ramp will be located on Grand River Avenue between the Human Ecology Building and the Olin Health Center.
The ramp, Kacos said, would help reduce parking congestion in the West Circle area.
The trustees also passed a proposal to expand the Simon Power Plant to generate more power and to provide a better backup plan in the event of a power outage. A steam turbine generator and gas turbine generator will be added to the plant.
The board also approved the addition of the phrase "gender identity" and a footnote under the harassment section of MSU's anti-discrimination policy.
The amendment had been bounced around in the Academic Governance system for about two years before finally making it to the board.
Charles Salmon also was appointed as acting dean of the College of Communication Arts and Letters to replace current Dean James Spaniolo, who will become the seventh president of the University of Texas at Arlington on Feb. 1. Salmon took over on Jan. 1.
