In-state students at the College will be paying 6 percent more in tuition during the 2007-2008 academic year, bringing the cost of tuition from $7,615 to $8,072, College president R. Barbara Gitenstein announced at the July 10 meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Overall costs to attend the College for an in-state student, including tuition, room, board and fees, rose 5.9 percent. Out-of-state students are facing an 8 percent increase in tuition.

President Gitenstein spoke optimistically about the increase during her report at the board meeting. While apologetic about having to raise tuition prices, president Gitenstein said she was relieved that the percentage of the increase is lower than last year and that it falls in the median of increases at other state schools.

Rutgers University’s in-state tuition increased 7.8 percent this year with total costs up 6.1 percent. Rowan University’s is up 7.5 percent and 5.8 percent overall.

Between the tuition increases and the additional $1.6 million allocated to the College’s base appropriation from the state, signed on June 28, the College will be able to meet salary obligations, address inflation and also move ahead with necessary restorations and program improvements, president Gitenstein said.

A significant portion in the College’s tuition increase is to cover the cost of salary increases among its faculty, president Gitenstein said, adding that she understands the need for these state-negotiated salary increases but expressed her wish that the state would allocate more money to cover the increases. The additional $1.6 million from the state helps cover some of the salary costs but only for last year’s increases, president Gitenstein said.

Other areas included in the budget are investments in campus life and academics, the appointment of a chief of police and hiring other faculty positions, and replenishing money in areas that were at a deficit last year.

President Gitenstein thanked members of the College community for their “hard work and sacrifices,” including taking on extra jobs and helping to develop a plan to save $600,000 in fuel.

President Gitenstein also acknowledged state senators Joseph Doria and Shirley Turner for their advocacy toward improving higher education in New Jersey. Doria and Turner each sponsored unsuccessful bills on covering salary increases and on restoring the Outstanding Scholars Recruitment Program, respectively.

During the meeting, the Board of Trustees approved a resolution authorizing a 6 percent salary increase for president Gitenstein. President Gitenstein did not receive a raise last year per her request, Board of Trustees chair Stacy Holland said.

President Gitenstein said at the meeting that the College hired 34 new faculty members in the last two years.

She also mentioned that several master’s programs at the College may soon close. In accordance to the College’s program closure policy, president Gitenstein announced six graduate programs she plans to recommend to the board for discontinuation at its October meeting, a decision president Gitenstein said was not made easily and was discussed at length with the community.

These programs include four Master of Education programs in Elementary Supervision, Elementary Master Teaching, Elementary and Early Childhood Education and Learning Disabilities Teacher/Consultant, as well as the Substance Abuse Post-Masters Certificate program and the Master in Speech Pathology.

Other resolutions approved by the board at the meeting included the revised final exam policy that was announced in a campus-wide e-mail last semester, campus parking fines and other charges and a resolution honoring associate professor Dr. Ruth Palmer for service to the board.