Regents approve building name change, raise tuition and fees

The UNT System Board of Regents conducted its winter meeting Feb. 16, approving recommendations to increase tuition and fees for students on campus and at the System Center in Dallas, and giving the University Safety and Transportation Committee the "go" signal for proposed increases in campus parking fees.

In other actions, the regents:

• approved the use of institutional funds to pay for design costs for the proposed Student Recreational Sports facility;
  
  
• renamed the former Media and Performing Arts Building the Radio, TV, Film and Performing Arts Building; approved the concept to build, rather than purchase, a new facility for the Computing Center;
  
  
• approved a review of food service alternatives and renovations for the Clark Hall cafeteria; and
  
  
• approved submission of requests to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for the purchase of three properties adjoining the campus.

According to Phil Diebel, vice president for finance and business affairs, the approved $4 increase in the portion of tuition designated by the Board of Regents (from $36 to $40 per semester credit hour) will bring an additional $2.6 million to the university budget.

He says these additional funds will be used to cover anticipated needs such as utility cost increases, technology cost increases, maintenance and operational expenses, scholarship funding, research funding, and funding for recruitment and retention.

As a result of recommendations by the Student Service Fee Committee, the regents voted for a 50 cents per hour increase in the student service fee (from $9.50 to $10).

The library fee will increase 65 cents (from $3.35 to $4). The Union fee will increase $1 for the fall and spring semesters (from $39 to $40), 50 cents for each summer semester (from $19.50 to $20) and 25 cents for the minimester (from $9.75 to $10).

When the changes take effect in the 2001 fall semester, students taking 15 hours will pay an additional $78.25 in both fees and tuition.

The regents also approved an 8 percent increase in room rates and a 2 percent increase in board rates.

The board approved an increase in parking rates for the 2001 fall semester. Reserve permits will increase to $162 (from $110); faculty/staff permits will rise to $99 (from $70); commuter permits will increase to $94 (from $65); residence hall permits will increase to $110 (from $75); motorcycle permits will rise to $36 (from $16); and teaching fellow permits will rise to $32 (from $25).

The property purchase approvals were for:

• $780,000 for the MARC building at 1700 Wilshire, a 15,000-square-foot structure, and 1.1 acres, which provides a suitable location for the Police and Traffic Services Department;
  
  
• An amount not to exceed $448,500 for 1918 W. Sycamore, a 10-unit condominium complex on a single 0.34-acre lot, which will initially house the UNT Press, currently located in Chestnut and Edwards Halls; and
  
  
• An amount not to exceed $73,500 for 218 Ave. D, a single-story duplex on a 0.21-acre residential lot, bounded on three sides by university property.

BY RODDY WOLPER rwolper@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• UNT debuts :CRQ™ technology at capital campaign gala
• UNT opposes TNRCC permit for asphalt/concrete plant
• THECB grants planning authority for UNT engineering program
• Women's History Month events at UNT
• Time set for Pohl inauguration
• UNT schedules events for International Week
• UNT professor serves as phone-a-friend lifeline for "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire" contestant
• UNT Vision forums completed
• UNT cosponsors 100-year commemoration of community colleges