Trustees to vote on tuition hike at meeting today

At an Executive Committee meeting today, members of the University Board of Trustees will vote on tuition, room and board rates for the upcoming academic year. Trustee meetings of the Investment Board, Budget and Finance and Executive committees will be held today in the Steinberg Conference Center at 38th and Spruce streets. The Trustees will discuss other University policies and financial initiatives as well, but the major issue up for approval today remains the announcement of the 1999-2000 tuition rate. Last year's tuition increase of 4.5 percent was the lowest in over 30 years. Budget Director Mike Masch said he cannot reveal the proposed increases until today's meeting, at which point he will give a detailed presentation of the tuition proposals. "[The presentation] lays out tuition in comparison with peer institutions," University Secretary Rosemary McManus explained. Several Ivy League schools have already announced their upcoming tuition rates. Harvard, Princeton and Brown universities all announced the lowest tuition and fee increases in 30 years. Harvard raised tuition by 3.3 percent, Princeton by 3.5 percent and Brown by 3.9 percent. McManus said the Executive Committee will vote on several other resolutions today in addition to tuition increases. Resolutions up for approval include the authorization of the upcoming Quadrangle renovations and the acquisition and remediation of the Civic Center for the construction of a state-of-the-art cancer center. Additionally, the Trustees will vote on a resolution regarding the planned construction of a baseball stadium on Murphy Field and the proposed renovation of Bower Field to improve the state of recreation space for athletic teams. Along with the approximately 25 Trustees in attendance, University President Judith Rodin, Provost Robert Barchi, Executive Vice President John Fry and Medical School Dean Michael Kelley will be present to discuss the resolutions. The next full meeting of the University Board of Trustees will be held June 17 and 18.