MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State University’s funding request for 2001-2003 is a key component in helping the state make the transition to the new information-based economy, according to university officials.

Ball State President Blaine Brownell will present a biennium funding request to the House Ways and Means Committee Jan. 16 in Indianapolis. The meeting begins at 4 p.m. in Room 404 of the State House.

“We have established our request by comparing what we value at Ball State with what we have identified as being the current needs in the state of Indiana,” Brownell said. “We believe that Ball State is well positioned to assist the state of Indiana with this transition into the information-based economy.”

The budget request, “Building Toward the New Economy,” focuses on improving education through the use of technology. It calls for $137.7 million for 2001-2002 and $147.4 million in 2002-2003. Ball State received $125.1 million in state appropriations for 1999-2000.

“During the last two bienniums, the state legislature has provided funding to support technology on campus,” Brownell said. “Our request again focuses on technology and technology-related initiatives, and reflects Ball State's long-held commitment.

“It must because technology infuses and supports everything we do. Our requests reflect Ball State’s long held commitment to investment in educational technology while assisting the state of Indiana in promoting economic development and lifelong learning,” he said.

Quality improvement programs requested for the next biennium include the creation of a Central Indiana Technology Education/Training Center, funds to expand student internship opportunities, a program to encourage Ball State graduates who have left the state to return for jobs in Indiana, funding to

support expansion of the professional development schools in Teachers College, and the creation of a technology transfer program to support entrepreneurial efforts to develop new businesses.

The budget request also calls for shifting one-time allocation for technology funding to the base budget. Ball State received about $4.2 million in quality improvement funding for technology in the second year of the current biennium. The inclusion of the previous technology funding in the base budget will allow the university to continue to provide quality experiences in the teaching and learning process, university officials said.

The lone capital request is for funding a new music instructional building. Total project cost is $21 million.

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information about this story, contact Thomas Kinghorn, vice president for business affairs at (765) 285-1033.)