Highlights of the 2000-2001 budget, which set general guidelines for campus spending for next year, include:

• expenditures of $209.5 million, up from 204.1 million this year.
• an average salary raise of 4 percent for faculty and staff.
• a tuition increase of $72 per semester for Indiana residents.

"Over the years, we?ve prided ourselves in the ability to keep tuition increases at the lowest levels possible while still providing faculty and staff with reasonable salary increases, said President John E. Worthen. "Tuition at Ball State is among the lowest in the Midwest and continues to be a great investment for students."

Tuition for 2000-2001 classes for a full-time Indiana resident is $3,720 as compared with $3,576 this year. Out-of-state students will pay $10,180, up from $9,736 this year.

The budget package also contains an increase in the cost for traditional health insurance coverage from $310 to $322 for individuals, and from $804 to $837 for families. The employee?s share of the premium on the traditional plan rises $8.05 a month for family coverage.

Students also will pay more for a health insurance policy next year, up $102 per year from the present rate.

Last year limited student participation coupled with two years of bad claims history generated the first increase in student premiums in nine years.

Unfortunately, the trend of bad claims history has continued into a third year, university officials said.

The budget plan calls for revenues of $116.7 million from the state; $72 million from student fees; $5.5 million from sales, services, interest earnings and other sources; and $1.5 from the state for Burris Laboratory School.

In other action, the board approved a citation honoring the men?s basketball team. The team participated in the NCAA basketball tournament after winning the Mid-American Conference post-season tournament, finishing with an overall record of 22-9.

By Marc Ransford, Communications Manager