Intended to have taken place in the newly renovated D.P. Culp Student Center, the ETSU Board of Trustees held their April meeting virtually over Zoom to take action on tuition, fees and budget for the 2020-21 academic year and discuss the university’s COVID-19 response.
“I wanted to acknowledge to the board that we are the first institution in the state that will act on these items,” ETSU President Brian Noland said. “This gives us, from my perspective, a competitive advantage as we are able to then demonstrate to students and families – scholarship levels and fee levels for the fall.”
The board approved minutes from the April 1 Finance and Administration Committee, which included the recommendation of a 0% increase of tuition and mandatory fees, housing and meal plan refunds for students and the recommendation to put the 1.5% state appropriated salary increase for faculty and staff into a reserve account.
The board also unanimously voted to remove tuition and fee increases previously approved at the Feb. 22 Board of Trustees meeting for the College of Medicine and College of Pharmacy, as well as housing and food service non-mandatory charges, making the 0% fee adjustment campus-wide.
“I think that the entire campus can support a 0% tuition and fee increase based on the economic climate that we’re in and the economic impact of the COVID-19 virus on our student body and their families,” ETSU Chief Financial Officer Dr. B.J. King said.
During the President’s Report, Noland said next week he will announce the formation of a work group chaired by Dr. David Linville that will advise Noland’s office on protocols and alternatives to consider regarding the re-opening of campus in the fall. On a video call with reporters following the meeting, Noland said it is too early to make any calls regarding the fall semester, but he hopes to have a plan by early June.
Through the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security Act, Noland said ETSU is completing their application to receive stimulus funds. He said they will receive more than $11 million total to support students, with between $500,000 and $750,000 expected to go toward an emergency crisis fund to help meet needs of students struggling financially.
“We have an existing fund that’s in place at the present moment, and in conversations with Dr. Michelle Byrd yesterday, we’re pushing out on a weekly basis about $10,000 per week to students with issues ranging from inability to pay rent to just struggling to put food on the table for their families,” Noland said. “To date, those have all been institutional resources, and this CARES funding from the federal government will help to assist and supplement that activity.”
Noland said most institutions are anticipating potential reductions of 10% in fall enrollment due to COVID-19. The university is trying to combat this through engagement with admissions counselors, virtual outreach activities and a letter writing campaign launched by the ETSU Alumni Association to check in on students and share their experiences with prospective students.
“We are doing everything we can to ensure that our current students are successful in the classroom and return in the fall, but that perspective students that want to come to East Tennessee State University feel that this is the right choice them,” Noland said.
As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, through housing and meal plan refunds and revenue lost through cancelled events and activities, Noland said the university has experienced more than $10 million in direct losses. Noland said he was pleased to report that ETSU’s endowment, which he said on March 23 had decreased from over $100 million to slightly above $80 million, had rebounded to $91 million as of Tuesday.
“I’m not here today to offer some type of pollyannaish thoughts that everything is going to go back to normal, but I do want to stress that this is not a time to panic,” Noland said. “It’s a time to plan. It’s a time to look ahead. It’s a time to take deliberative action, and it’s a time to ensure that we’re making decisions that keep our campus safe. And as we move through the coming weeks, I’ll keep the campus and the board informed as conditions evolve.”
In other business, Noland offered a resolution of appreciation for student trustee Christopher Santana who will graduate in May.
“Whereas Mr. Santana has ably represented the interest of our students during his tenure on the Board of Trustees, therefore be it resolved that the Board of Trustees extends its deepest appreciation and congratulations to Christopher Santana for his exemplary service and for representing the very highest ideals of ETSU,” Noland said.
Noland allowed Santana to comment. His comment was followed by sentiments of appreciation from board members.
“Dr. Noland, members of the board, I am speechless at those things you all say about me,” Santana said. “I’m just trying to do my best to make this university proud, to make my parents proud. I remember my first day as a board member I was scared that I just wasn’t going to fit. But I realized, I took a step back and realized, I’m at ETSU. This is our board. It’s going to be a welcoming board, and I was not wrong since day one. All the board members made me feel like I was at home, and I got confident and started talking a little bit more in the board meetings, and I want to deeply thank them from the bottom of my heart. Thank you.”
