At yesterday’s University Faculty Senate meeting, financial numbers were thrown left and right as members discussed Gov. Ted Strickland’s Executive Budget Proposal for Higher Education. The budget, which will be implemented for fiscal years 2010 and 2011, will have the largest effect on the University and its students. There will be a 6 percent increase in State Share of Instruction, which determines the measure of income for Ohio institutions. A tuition freeze for fiscal year 2010, which will apply to all Ohio universities and their regional campuses, will also occur, Associate Vice President of Governmental Affairs Sandra MacNevin said. However, a change will be seen in fiscal year 2011 for Ohio university main campuses and regional campuses. For main campuses in fiscal year 2011, there will be a .8 percent increase in State Share of instruction and a voluntary tuition cap. The voluntary tuition cap calls for public Ohio universities to instate the cap after a 3.5 percent increase. Regional campuses will also have a .8 percent State Share of Instruction increase, but will have a tuition freeze as opposed to a tuition cap, MacNevin said. ‘ Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the Federal Stimulus Bill, Ohio will be receiving $1.5 billion for Ohio education for fiscal years 2010 and 2011 – which includes both K-12 and higher education. ‘ While K-12 will be receiving a good portion of the money, 25 percent of it will be used for higher education to supplement its current deficits, MacNevin said. ‘ While the allocated money will be filling in the financial gap for higher education, there is a concern for the future beyond fiscal year 2011. ‘ ‘There is a great concern of the use of these one time funds to gap the budget,’ MacNevin said. ‘The future is uncharted territory, but in context, higher education has done really well with this budget plan.’ ‘ Also under Gov. Strickland’s proposal is the restructuring of Ohio’s need-based financial aid system. ‘ Students must now fill out their Free Application for Federal Student Aid to be eligible for the Pell Grant, whereas in the past, students could apply for the Pell Grant without having to fill out the FAFSA form, MacNevin said. Aside from the University’s and state’s financial business, President Carol Cartwright touched on the search for a new provost. ‘I am disappointed my aggressive time table for the search is unrealistic,’ she said. ‘But, we do need to take the appropriate time to find the right fit.’ On-campus interviews will not take place until after May commencement, but Cartwright is encouraging interviews by other means of technology until then to have a better perspective on possible candidates. The Stroh Center was also briefly mentioned by associate geography professor Art Samel during the update on Undergraduate Student Government. ‘Why aren’t students able to vote on the Stroh Center when last year they had the opportunity to vote on the shuttle fee?’ he asked. USG Senator Enoch Wu said he thought a vote for the center in April would be irresponsible on USG’s part because the members of USG have not been able to reach all 16,000 students to explain the pros and cons of the center. Afterwards, Samel was still confused as to why the two fees were treated differently, with Cartwright chiming in. ‘I think it is the use of the fee, and not the size,’ she said. The discussion was left at that until the next faculty senate meeting, where Cartwright encouraged the USG representatives to have a prepared answer to Samel’s question.