Board of Visitors

Budget Presentation and Public Comment Session On Proposed Tuition And Fees March 29, 2022

Board Members Present

• Robert R. Hatten, Esq., Rector
• Mr. C. Bradford Hunter, Vice-Rector and Chair of Academic Affairs Committee
• Mr. William R. Ermatinger, Chair of Finance and Facilities Committee

Others Present

• Ms. Jennifer Latour, Vice President for Finance and Planning and CFO
• Ms. Beverley Mueller, Executive Assistant
• Ms. Sarah Herzog, Director of Planning and Budget
• Ms. Amie Dale, Executive Director of University Events and Special Projects
• Mr. Thomas Kramer, Executive Director of the Wason Center and Legislative Liaison
• Ms. Kelly McGee Sousa, Public Relations Director

Rector Hatten called the meeting to order and thanked Mr. Ermatinger and Vice-Rector Hunter for attending and participating in the meeting. He then asked Mr. Ermatinger to preside over the meeting.

Mr. Ermatinger thanked those in attendance and explained that he would ask Ms. Latour to provide a budget presentation following which he would call to the podium those members of the public who had signed up to provide public comment.

Budget Presentation

Ms. Latour provided a budget presentation which included an overview and background of the budget, both revenue and expenses, and a review of our historical tuition and fee rates and factors. A copy of the budget presentation is included with the minutes.

Ms. Latour explained the two major sources of operating revenue within the university’s budget stating that the largest portion is the General Fund which is the support from the state. She said that tuition alone represents about 25% of the budget and tuition and fees combined represent approximately 62%. She then went on to explain the how tuition dollars are spent.

She stated that there have been no tuition increases since the fall of 2018 and the comprehensive fee and room and board fees have been level since the fall of 2019. Ms. Latour explained that there are multiple factors to take into consideration when setting tuition and fees: expected state funding and state requirements, student affordability, competitiveness and impact on budget and ability to deliver quality services.

Ms. Latour said that the state requires a comprehensive six-year plan submission which includes a projection of tuition and fees. The plan was based on several factors including enrollment projections, spending initiatives and the assumption of no additional state funds being provided. Given these parameters, a tuition increase of 13.2% was identified but we are confident that CNU will receive state support. This year, the General Assembly adjourned before adopting a state budget, therefore, it is not possible to set tuition and fees at this time. The General Assembly is scheduled to reconvene on April 27th.

Mr. Ermatinger thanked Ms. Latour for her excellent presentation and asked that the same information be presented at the next Finance and Facilities Committee meeting.

Mr. Ermatinger stated that there were three submittals on tuition and fees – two were written and Mr. Tyler Alberico signed up to attend the meeting in person. However, Mr. Alberico was not in attendance and Mr. Ermatinger then read into the record the written comments received:

Name: Kateri Kapp
Affiliation: Current Student
Written Public Comment:
On behalf of all students at CNU, especially those paying tuition out of their own pockets; for the sake of our quality of life now and in the future, I implore you to consider our needs, put your students first and keep tuition as close to the current rate as possible. I understand that businesses must make a profit, but please do not profit off the clothes on our backs. Thank you for all you do for this great university, the wonderful individuals who attend it and the world we are creating.

Name: Emily Ferrao
Affiliation: Current Student
Written Public Comment:
If we can afford a million-dollar fountain just for fun during a pandemic, we can afford to freeze tuition for another year especially considering the uncertainty in the world right now.

There were no others signed up or present to speak at the public comment meeting. Rector Hatten thanked Ms. Latour for her presentation and then adjourned the meeting.