RADFORD –The Radford University Board of Visitors approved on Thursday an in-state undergraduate tuition increase of five percent, or $209, to $4,396 for the 2009-10 academic year.

The total cost for in-state undergraduates – including tuition, fees, room and board – will be $13,874 or a 4.7 percent increase, which currently keeps RU the second most affordable of the state’s 15 public four-year institutions.

“As much as we want to build for the future and fully fund new programs and initiatives to best prepare our students to venture forth into the workforce and the world, we must balance today’s economic climate and keep our tuition as low as possible to help Virginia’s struggling families,” said RU President Penelope W. Kyle.

In-state students account for almost 93 percent of RU’s undergraduate population.

Increases will support need-based student financial aid, rising costs for facility operation and maintenance, and a nearly $2.1 million budget shortfall – the result of state-mandated budget cuts imposed this year to balance the Commonwealth of Virginia’s $3.2 billion deficit.

Since fiscal year 2008, state support for Radford University operations has declined by $9.9 million or approximately 20 percent – $7.55 million this fiscal year alone. Part of this shortfall was offset by the influx of nearly $5.5 million in federal stimulus funds, which lessened the need for higher tuition increases. Many on the RU Board of Visitors expressed worry during their two-day session about 2011-12 when the flow of federal stimulus funds dries up.

For in-state graduate students, tuition also increased by five percent, or $241, to $5,086. Including fees, the cost for in-state graduates to attend RU will be $7,594 or 5.6 percent.

For the 2009-2010 academic year, out-of-state tuition for undergraduates will increase 6.5 percent to $14,060, and for graduates by 9.8 percent to $12,608. Total cost – including tuition, fees, room and board – will be $23,538, up 5.7 percent, for out-of-state undergraduates. Out-of-state graduates’ tuition and fees will be $15,116, up 9.3 percent.

For the university’s Masters of Occupational Therapy degree, which will welcome its first students in fall 2009, the board approved a per-credit hour fee of $290 for in-state students and $800 for out-of-state students.

In separate action, the board formally endorsed the administration’s handling of its expedited academic program review. Twenty-nine programs were identified for review earlier this year because they failed to meet one of four criteria established by RU based on State Council of Higher Education for Virginia guidelines.

Five programs chose to voluntarily discontinue. Of the remaining 24, the Academic Program Review Committee recommended that only one – a post-baccalaureate certificate in Appalachian Studies – be discontinued. The certificated program has averaged fewer than three students each fall. Stanton opted to give the three-year-old program until 2011 to become viable.

Nevertheless, the expedited process, questions about the administration’s motivation and concerns over the review committee’s objectivity led the Faculty Senate to recently create an investigative body to review the administration’s handling of the review.

Professor Steve Owen, president of Faculty Senate, told the board Thursday that, “This committee is not meant to be viewed as stemming from animosity but to restore confidence, communication and trust among the entire university community.”

Board member Randal J. Kirk praised Owen and the Faculty Senate for their desire to improve relationships between faculty, staff and students.

The board also:

• Adopted a resolution conferring an honorary degree, Doctor of Letters, on Gov. Tim Kaine, who will deliver the keynote address at RU’s spring commencement May 9.
• Approved the university’s intent to issue bonds to construct a new, state-of-the-art student fitness and wellness center.
• Received a report from representatives of RU’s Office of Emergency Preparedness about the university’s response to an off-campus shooting April 2, during which the alleged shooter came onto campus. The incident triggered a “Shelter in Place” order and the RU Alert system, which kept the campus community informed via text, voice mail and email messages, the university website and television channel while police tactical units performed a building-by-building search.