Two distinctive reports, one regarding the college’s 2010-11 budget and one for a future student satisfaction survey, dominated the conversation at the March 29 ASLC Senate meeting.
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Kicking off the weekly meeting, W. Glenn Ford, vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer, presented the college’s 2010-11 budget, highlighting the budget creation process; increases in tuition, room and board, among others; and comparisons to similar schools in the area.
For the 2010-11 fiscal year, starting in July, increases include: tuition, 5.35 percent; the Division of Continuing Education per-credit fee, 9.4 percent; January Term per-credit fee, 5.9 percent; board, 4 percent; residence halls, 5 percent; and Hewlett-Packard apartments, 4 percent.
Ford said tuition, room, board and other required fees for Linfield, when weighed against comparable institutions, were on the low end. George Fox and Pacific universities’ tuition and fees, however, fell lower than Linfield’s in total.
According to the PowerPoint presentation, the administration is predicting gross tuition revenue of $46.4 million.
But while next year’s sticker price will rise, the cost of attending Linfield may actually decrease for those who rely on the college’s financial aid. College officials have budgeted an 11.1 percent increase in unfunded student financial aid, from $16.7 million to $18.5 million. (Unfunded student financial aid is siphoned directly from gross tuition revenue.)
In total, Ford said projected net tuition revenue will be $27.9 million, a 1.9 percent increase from last year. As an aside, Ford said additional critical student scholarships and aid will be provided by alumni and friends of the college.
Ford, using the projector system in Riley Student Center, room 201, presented a dissected pie chart showcasing the separate slices of revenue the campus is expecting, the largest piece emanating from tuition. Other revenue will come from gifts to the college, endowment draws, residence halls and dining.
Expenses, however, will overtake incoming revenue next year, at about $350,000. Ford said the college will tap into an enrollment stabilization fund, comprising one-time dollars, to cover the gap.
The largest expense chunk will come from paying personnel salaries, at 65 percent.
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Director of College Activities Dan Fergueson elucidated the second special report, which centered on a student satisfaction survey.
The college will distribute the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory, a 70- to 80-part questionnaire, some time this month. It will attempt to probe the student psyche regarding matters ranging from faculty and staff to dining and residences to the overall appearance of the college and how welcoming Linfield is.
Fergueson said the survey is meant to close the gap between what students and what the administration feel is important.
He also said that because the survey was given nationally, Linfield would be able to compare to other colleges and universities in ways not possible before.
The survey was last given out in 1998, during the college’s accreditation process.
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Other Senate business included granting a temporary charter to the Cube Club, a club for Rubix cube users; the introduction of the choices for next year’s ASLC Cabinet, who will face the Senate for approval next week; 12 clubs undergoing re-chartering; and committee and administration reports.
To read the Review’s live blog from the Senate meeting, click here.
Read the next issue of the Review for more information regarding the budget and the tuition increase.

Dominic Baez
Editor-in-chief Dominic Baez can be reached at [email protected]