BOT to meet Friday to vote on FY 2021 budget, other financial items

Adam Tumino, Editor-in-Chief

Eastern’s Board of Trustees will meet Friday to vote on the budget for fiscal year 2021, increases in tuition and new purchases, among other items.

First, the BOT will vote on the purchase and maintenance of new laundry equipment for students. The new equipment will allow students to access it via a mobile app, where they can also check the availability of machines and the status of their laundry.

Also, a laundry fee would be charged to students living in residence halls and Greek court that will be charged as part of the housing contract.

The contract for the machines is with Washlava from Tampa, Florida, and will cost no more the $110,000 a year.

The next item being voted on is the purchase of new digital display boards and an upgraded sound system in Lantz Arena. This project will be paid for by gift funds.

Among other things voted on are increases in tuition for new students and increases in dining plan costs and in student fees.

The tuition will rise to %308.04 for students in fiscal year 2021, and increase of $6.04 over FY 2020. A $6 increase also occurred from FY 2019 to FY 2020.

A student that started in fall 2019 and taking 12 credit hours would pay $3,624 in tuition, and a student starting in fall 2020 would pay $3,700.08.

The prices of meal plans will also modestly increase, with students on the seven meal plan paying an additional $103 per semester and students on the unlimited meal plan paying an additional $122.

With all students who live on campus being given solo rooms, there will be no extra charge for upgrading to a single room.

As far as student fees, there will be a $4.01 increase to the union/bond revenue fee, a $2.90 increase to the health and pharmacy fee and a $0.81 increase to the grant-in-aid-fee.

The budget for FY 2021 will also be approved in the meeting. Projected expenditures for FY 2021 are 1.4 percent higher than the projected expenditures from FY 2020.

The board will also vote to approve the FY 2020 athletics budget and a new master contract with the EIU Alumni Association.

There will also be the first reading of a proposed amendment of Article II, Section G.2 of the BOT Policy. The amendment adds to the process of the evaluation of the president, allowing for the addition of feedback from board members, members of the President Council, the Mayor of Charleston and leaders on the Faculty Senate, Staff Senate and Student Senate into the annual performance review of the president.

A proposed revision to BOT Regulation Section II.B.7.h. regarding educational leave will also be read.

The meeting begins at 1 p.m. and can be streamed live here.

 

Adam Tumino can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].