Executive Committee gives preliminary approval to 2005-06 budget

Meeting in New York City on February 11, the Executive Committee of the College's Board of Trustees gave preliminary approval to the recommendations of the Budget Committee for the 2005-06 budget. It projects operating expenses of $76,019,000, compared with $69,234,000 for the current fiscal year. Final consideration of the proposed budget is slated for the April board meeting in Gambier

Support for Kenyon's operating expenses comes from student fees, including tuition, which make up the largest single portion; auxiliary enterprises, which range from the bookstore and printing and mail services to laundromats and vending machines; income from the College's endowment; gifts for operations, primarily from the Kenyon Fund and Kenyon Parents Fund; interest on operating funds and reserves; conferences; and other miscellaneous sources.

Tuition for the 2005-06 academic year will be $32,980, representing a 5.5 percent increase-down from 5.9 percent in 2004-05. (Calls to other Ohio Five institutions revealed that the College of Wooster will increase tuition by 6.3 percent, Ohio Wesleyan University by 4.9 percent.) The charge for a standard double room at Kenyon will be $2,620, and board will come to $2,950. The required health and counseling fee will be $760, and the student activities fee $190. Total charges for next year come to $39,500; the comprehensive fee for the 2004-05 academic year is $37,440.

Among the budget items supported by the 5.5-percent increase will be operation of the new Center for Fitness, Recreation, and Athletics; a full-time-equivalent position in modern languages and literatures to insure that the department will be able to offer an adequate number of sections of language courses; the position of assistant dean for academic advising, which has been covered by off-budget funds; and additional clerical support in admissions, career development, and student employment totaling two ten-month full-time positions. The budget also includes a 20-percent increase in funds for faculty development; a 15-percent increase for library serials and electronic databases; a 10-percent increase in faculty start-up funds; a 10-percent increase in funds for teaching initiatives; an increase in support for the athletic program in response to conference-mandated requirements, travel expenses, and some inconsistencies among team allotments; and a variety of capital projects.

The Executive Committee also gave preliminary approval to allocations from the 2004-05 budget's projected surplus, which is expected to be slightly more than $1.9 million. Of that figure, $500,000 would be set aside for future contingencies, while the remainder would be applied to such purposes as the phasing in of operating expenses for the Center for Fitness, Recreation, and Athletics; an additional faculty position in modern languages and literatures for the next three years; the electronic scanning of alumni records to solve problems of accessibility and storage; and the upgrading of Kenyon's telephone switch. In addition, approximately fifteen other projects, across the College, with price tags under $50,000 would be included.

In general session, David Horvitz '74, chair of the board, introduced new trustees David Meuse, principal of Stonehenge Financial Holdings in Columbus, and the Right Reverend Mark Hollingsworth Jr., bishop of Ohio. Provost Gregory Spaid provided an update on the work of Kenyon's Arts Policy Task Force, while Vice President for College Relations Sarah Kahrl led a discussion of preliminary work on the College's next campaign, including the results of a survey of various Kenyon constituencies and six "Presidential Conversations" intended to identify the greatest areas of need. Further consideration of both topics is scheduled for the spring meeting, Thursday-Saturday, April 28-30.