Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State University is planning a new college designed to help students make the best possible start and pave the way for their future success.

ISU trustees Friday approved the establishment of a University College in an effort to better serve the needs of first-year students and consolidate several critical areas, including academic services, student advising and the university's Foundational Studies program.

"The concept of a University College has long been debated on the ISU campus, and it is now time to make it happen," said ISU President Dan Bradley. "The University College will focus on freshmen and their transition from high school to college."

During the current academic year, the ISU Student Success Council "has carefully studied a number of our challenges related to student success and has recommended that we move forward with the establishment of an academic unit focused on better serving the needs of first-year students," said Jack Maynard, the university's provost and vice-president for academic affairs. An earlier university task force on first-year programs made a similar recommendation five years ago, Maynard noted.

A new university task force will be set up to develop operating guidelines for the University College with a report due to trustees at their December meeting. The university will soon launch an internal search for a dean of the college with a goal of having the new college up and running by fall 2013, Bradley said.

ISU trustees also approved a $146 million budget for 2012-13 that reflects an increase of just 1.7 percent over this year and includes $1.1 million in internal reallocations to fund its strategic plan, "The Pathway to Success," and unavoidable increases in utilities and health insurance. This marks the fourth straight year the university has turned to reallocations to fund continued progress in implementing its strategic plan.

"We continue to look for ways to operate more efficiently and to help keep an ISU degree affordable for students and their families," said Diann McKee, vice president for business affairs and finance.

The budget projects a 2 percent increase in enrollment and a scaled down 1.5 percent increase for in-state tuition trustees approved last fall. The new budget projects a 2 percent increase for salary adjustments for faculty, staff and student workers. However, final action on pay raises will depend on actual enrollment figures this fall and the university's financial situation at the time.

The budget includes a projected 2.5 percent increase in health insurance and provides for no increases in departmental supplies and expenses. It sets aside $11.6 million, or 8 percent of total operating expenses, for academic and need-based aid to students. It also includes $1.2 million set aside this year to fund strategic initiatives designed to strengthen Indiana State's position in key academic areas and $3 million for repairs and rehabilitation of buildings. That amount will allow the university to address its most pressing repair needs.

In other action, trustees:• Approved a $15 surcharge for parking permits purchased in person rather than on-line; the surcharge does not apply to the purchase of permits during new student orientation or employee orientation• Authorized the university president and vice president for student affairs to review and establish policies related to the presence of alcohol at student events• Adopted a policy requiring approval of department chairs or deans for the adoption of textbooks authored by ISU faculty• Appointed Trustee Mike Alley as an unpaid special advisor to the board of trustees while he takes a leave of absence from the board to serve as commissioner of the Indiana Department of Revenue.

Photo: http://isuphoto.smugmug.com/photos/i-28CffVR/0/L/i-28CffVR-L.jpg - Enthusiastic students attend New Student Orientation at Indiana State University in August 2011. The university is planning a University College to focus on the needs of freshmen and their transition from high school.

Media contact and writer: Dave Taylor, media relations director, Office of Communications and Marketing, 812-237-3743 or dave.taylor@indstate.edu