Setting costs and honoring faculty were among the items of business conducted by the Fresno Pacific University Board of Trustees in regular session June 21-22 on campus.
Tuition for 2003-04 was set at $17,370, up from $16,200 for 2002-03, the upcoming school year. Room rates in 2003-04 will range from $1,065-1,285 and meal plans from $450-1,495 per semester. The average increase of 6.5 percent in room rates was driven by higher utility and insurance costs.
The board also affirmed the process to grant continuing status to qualified faculty. Continuing status recognizes faculty for "their professional qualifications, their personal qualities, their dedication to the ideals and goals of the university and the effectiveness of their service."
While FPU does not offer tenure, continuing status protects academic freedom and provides "a sign that the community has seen convincing reason to expect a full career of significant contribution to the university and to Christian higher education." Normal requirements for continuing status include a terminal degree, six years of service and recommendations from an evaluation committee, the faculty personnel committee, the provost, the president and the board of trustees.
Several new faculty were hired: Vickie Bigler will teach elementary mathematics education, Jothany Blackwood will teach English, Ken Friesen will teach political science, Martha Ritter will teach reading/literacy education and Jeanine Yoder will teach biblical studies. Kathy Hitchcox was confirmed as associate dean of the Center for Degree Completion, part of the school of professional studies.
A plan to spend $263,750 on deferred maintenance and capital improvement was approved. Under budget changes begun last year, these expenses come from any surplus from the prior year, rather than the new budget. Surpluses can only be used for one-time expenses, rather than operating costs. The plan includes $75,000 for security cameras, $50,000 to convert the automatic sliding glass door in McDonald Hall into a more efficient revolving glass door and $27,000 for classroom projectors.
In other action, the board:
- honored three members for their years of service—Dick Falls and Ted Thiesen for 20 years, Ramon Oyervidez for 15 years and Velma Dyck for 10 years.
- received and discussed the preparatory accreditation report to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).