IU Trustees approve budget

The IU Board of Trustees approved a $2.08 billion operating budget Friday created by the Indiana General Assembly for the 2003-04 fiscal year and a new science precinct on the north side of the Bloomington campus. The budget is $120 million more than the 2002-03 budget of $1.96 billion.\n"The state budget approved earlier this year restored 50 percent of our previous operating appropriation cuts and provided funding for growth in enrollment, the School of Informatics and research activities, which will enhance economic development," IU Interim President Gerald L. Bepko said in a press release. "We're appreciative of those efforts given the state's difficult financial situation."\nThe budget increase will help improve the salaries of IU employees. Faculty salaries will increase from 2 to 2.8 percent, and staff pay will increase by 2 percent.\nThe budget will also add $8 million for student financial aid and will increase research funding on the Bloomington and Indianapolis campuses, as well as increase the funding for the School of Informatics.\nThe budget will increase the School of Informatics funding to $12.5 million per year at the Bloomington, Indianapolis and South Bend campuses -- an increase of over $7.7 million. The extra funding will be phased in over the next two years.\nSchool of Informatics Dean Michael Dunn said the money will be used to hire additional faculty and to help fund the newly created career placement center.\nFor the first round of commitment-to-excellence projects, which seeks to improve undergraduate instruction and the recruiting and retaining of faculty on all eight IU campuses, $12.2 million will be used. The projects are funded by an increase in student fees that begins this fall. The increase is $1,000 for the Bloomington campus.\nThe trustees also approved the second phase of a science building project, which will be built in the science precinct.\nThe first phase of the multidisciplinary science project will be built adjacent to Myers Hall. The $42.5 million second phase, which was approved Friday, is to be built north of the Geology Building. It will be paid for with $31.9 million in state-funded bonds and $10.6 million in gifts and grants.\nOfficials said it will allow IU to expand its research in neuroscience and brain imaging, atmospheric science, contaminant chemistry and biogeochemistry.\nConstruction of the buildings could start next year.\nEnvironmental science program director Bruce Douglas said he thinks the new building will be helpful.\n"Many of the earth sciences and environmental sciences are scattered around campus and this will make it possible for scientists from various groups to meet easier so they can interact more," Douglas said.\nThe new building will also provide a new home for the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science program. Douglas said environmental science is a popular new bachelor of science program that does not currently have a home.\n"Since the program is interdisciplinary, it matches well with the goals of the building," Douglas said.\nNeural Science Program Director George Rebec said the building will be great.\n"It would allow for significant expansion of research space and addition of new research faculty."\nRebec said one of the most important aspects of the new building is it will give a home to many of the science programs that currently lack one and will help them function more effectively.\n"A lot of the labs will be able to come together," Rebec said. "It will allow for more collaboration"