The Faculty Senate met yesterday to discuss the budget, enrollment and residence and dining halls.

President Carol Cartwright said the master plan, particularly focusing on the first seven of 15 years, calls for new residence and dining halls for fall of 2011.

“It is essential to make [them] high priority because we need to have new halls and new dining facilities online and ready for fall of 2011,” she said. “The decisions we have … made will enable us to accomplish this very ambitious goal.”

Cartwright said new residence and dining facilities are an important part of the overall enrollment strategy.

She also emphasized the academic objectives of the master plan. She said the University is considering anticipating enrollment growth and looking forward to accommodate that growth.

Ken Borland, senior vice president and provost of academic affairs, said there are four priorities for the FSBC process: improving enrollment, achieving regional re-accredidation, addressing college needs and increasing faculty.

Borland said the 2009 governance process, which generated this year’s budget recommendations, included a commitment to a faculty salary increase pool.

“Unfortunately, enrollments are not yet strong enough to make that a possibility this year,” he said.

Borland said enrollment increased in both overall numbers and diversity, compared to last year. In-state applicants have increased 23 percent and there are 900 more out-of-state applicants, a 61 percent increase from last year.

There are 310 more Michigan applicants this year than last year, and 67 more from Illinois. Borland also said there are also 156 more international applicants when compared to this time last year. So far, the University has admitted 1,674 more students than one year ago.

“We’re seeing progress,” he said.

Carl Walling, president of the Graduate Student Senate, said the group is collecting donations for Haiti victims; GSS is accepting items such as canned food, diapers and first aid items. The deadline for donations is Feb. 19.