The Budget and Finance and Executive committees of the University Board of Trustees will meet today to discuss and vote on resolutions approving student tuition for the 2002-2003 academic year.
The meetings, which will be held at the Inn at Penn, will start this morning and run throughout the day, concluding with an executive session in the late afternoon.
Last year, the Executive Committee approved a 4.9 percent hike in total student charges at their March meeting, causing student tuition to rise from $32,996 to $34,614. Over the past five years, Penn's average annual tuition increase has been about 3.9 percent per year.
The Executive Committee will also vote on a series of resolutions, including the implementation of Penn Electronic Research Administrative Systems, a system to improve research project development and support, and the allocation of additional funding for a number of finance redesign projects.
Additionally, University President Judith Rodin, Provost Robert Barchi and Executive Vice President John Fry will all give updates to the Executive Committee about the University's academic and financial status tomorrow afternoon.
Unlike the standard March meeting, which only involves the Budget and Finance and Executive committees, the full Board of Trustees was invited back this month to continue discussions of the University's new strategic plan.
According to University Secretary Leslie Kruhly, several trustees expressed interest in being involved with the new plan's further development, after an outline for it was presented at the winter board meetings last month.
Based on the results of the 1996 Agenda for Excellence, the new strategic plan will incorporate a set of long-term goals aimed toward the further improvement of the University's academic, financial and physical status.
"The Trustees were quite enthused about the discussions and issues presented relating to the next strategic plan in February, so we're having an additional two sessions for all trustees interested in continuing dialogue about it," Kruhly said.
She did note, however, that the two regular committee meetings would not be integrated.
"We are not now mixing the regular trustees with the executive trustees," Kruhly said.
Approximately 27 of the 87 Trustees will be present at these additional strategic planning sessions.
The Facilities and Campus Planning Committee has also scheduled an extra meeting for tomorrow, where the architects for the new Life Sciences Building will be presenting their preferred preliminary design.
The Board of Trustees, Penn's top decision-making body, convenes each fall, winter and spring for a series of meetings. Additional sessions are scheduled throughout the year for separate committees.
