Regents approve $91.2 operating budget

Southeast Missouri State University will have a $91.2 million operating budget for fiscal 2008. Auxiliary services, which include self-supporting services such as the Show Me Center and campus housing, will operate on a $27.6 million budget.

The board of regents approved the budget without comment at its meeting Monday afternoon in the University Center Ballroom.

State appropriations of $45.2 million account for nearly half of the university operating budget, school officials said. Student fees are projected to raise $43.7 million for general operations. Other sources such as investments are expected to generate the remaining $2.2 million.

The operating budget includes 3 percent pay raises for faculty, administrators and other employees.

The regents also voted to submit a request to the state for $64.8 million in capital improvement funding for fiscal 2009. The request seeks $37 million for an applied science complex and $27.8 million for renovations to Academic Hall.

For the science complex, the university wants $10 million toward construction of a new science lab and $27 million for renovations to Johnson, Rhodes and Magill halls, school officials said.

Officials acknowledged that securing the funding will be difficult. But Brad Bedell, president of the board of regents said, "If you don't ask, you never will receive."

In other business, the board approved a new Bachelor of Arts degree in global studies.