June 20, 2017
SVSU Board approves 2017-18 budget, tuition to increase $474
The Saginaw Valley State University Board of control approved a tuition increase of $474 for in-state students as part of the 2017-18 general fund operating budget adopted during the Board’s regular meeting Monday, June 19.
A Michigan undergraduate student taking 30 credits will pay $9,819 for the upcoming academic year. SVSU students were charged $9,345 during the 2016-17 academic year.
“I was a first-generation college student who worked full-time while going to school, so I understand that any tuition increase can be challenging for students and their families,” said SVSU President Donald Bachand. “At the same time, we have a responsibility to ensure that students receive a high-quality education at the best possible value, and that we continue to invest in their future.
“Our students continue to demonstrate that they can compete with the top students anywhere, as shown through their strong performance in all manner of academic competitions in recent years.”
SVSU will continue to have the lowest tuition among the 15 Michigan public universities for 2017-18, even after the increase of 5.07 percent takes effect.
In other action, the Board:
• Passed a resolution to congratulate the 2016-2017 SVSU outdoor track and field team, which had both men’s and women’s student-athletes earn All-American honors at the recent NCAA Division II national championships.
• Passed a resolution to congratulate the 2016-2017 SVSU men’s golf team, which qualified for the NCAA Division II Midwest/Central Super Regional tournament.
• Passed a resolution to congratulate the 2016-2017 SVSU women’s softball team, which qualified for the NCAA Division II national tournament and advanced to the finals of the Midwest Regional No. 2 tournament.
• Passed a resolution to approve Board of Fellows emeritus status for the late Vicente Castellanos.
• Passed a resolution to approve the reappointments of David Dunn, Peter Ewend, Mark Gettel, Tom McIntyre, Michael Rowley and Kenneth Roznowski to the SVSU Board of Fellows, a community advisory board.
• Passed a resolution to approve the reauthorization of public school academies. SVSU renewed its contract with Charlevoix Montessori Academy for the Arts for three years; Flat River Academy in Greenville and White Pine Academy in Leslie each received two-year renewals.
• Passed a resolution to approve the confirmation of board members for previously authorized public school academies.
• Approved revisions to SVSU’s Code of Student Conduct for the 2017-18 academic year.
• Approved faculty promotions for 30 individuals, effective July 1. Promoted to the rank of professor were: Marty Arford, geography; Lacreta Clark, educational leadership and services; David Cline, teacher education; Adam Coughlin, kinesiology; Mark Giesler, social work; Joe Jaksa, criminal justice; J. Blake Johnson, art; Sara Beth Keough, geography; Art Martin, biology; Tami Sivy, chemistry; Brian Thomas, sociology. Promoted to the rank of professor were: Arundhati Bagchi Misra, mathematical sciences; Jennifer Chaytor, chemistry; Kyle Cissell, chemistry; Denise Dedman, social work; Warren Fincher, sociology; Stacie Krupp, accounting; Kimberly Lacey, English; John Lowry, kinesiology; James McEvoy, biology; Rhett Mohler, geography; Rajani Muraleedharan, electrical and computer engineering; Shiva Nadavulakere, management; Christopher Nakamura, physics; Annamalai Pandian, mechanical engineering; Timothy Rowlands, criminal justice; Rebecca Schlaff, kinesiology; Jason Scott, biology; Kevin Simons, music; Yu Zou, electrical and computer engineering.
• Passed a resolution to Grant emerita status to Mary Harmon, who retired from SVSU after 25 years on the English faculty.
• Approved $800,000 in energy conservation projects. SVSU will install LED lights to the interior of a number of campus buildings and will enhanced the chilled water loop that assists with heating and cooling a number of campus buildings. After energy saving rebates are received, the total cost to SVSU will be closer to $400,000.