WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF GOVERNORS
RESOLUTION ON TUITION RECOMMENDATION
July 1, 2009
Whereas the Board of Governors of Wayne State University fully recognizes:

The unprecedented economic turmoil currently being experienced in our city, our
state and our nation,

The challenge for students and families of students to afford university tuition
during this difficult economic period,

The need to ensure the continuance of Wayne State’s status as a leading public
research university ranked in the top 50 nationally, with a strong urban focus and
offering a superior educational experience,

Wayne State University’s role in ensuring, through extensive financial support,
that access to a quality education for capable and energetic students is not
hindered by economic hardship or disadvantage,
Be it hereby resolved:
That, understanding the most important role of university leadership is to provide quality,
affordable, accessible education, and in recognition that such a quality education is
directly correlated to the future success of our graduates, we believe it is imperative to
maintain the university's status as a premier urban research university, where students
can learn from professors at the forefront of their disciplines, and begin to contribute to
the betterment of society both during and after their educational careers.
That we, in recognition of today’s unique economic challenges, should be equally
dedicated to helping our students and their families overcome financial barriers to higher
education, and resolved to exercise great restraint in raising tuition for a population
already challenged on many economic fronts.
That the Board of Governors will continue and intensify ongoing analysis of all
operations of the university, with the goal of identifying additional efficiencies and
aggressive cost cutting measures that will transform the way Wayne State University
conducts business. These efforts have resulted in budget cuts of more than $50 million
over the past several years, which includes a $4.7 million budget cut identified for the
2010 FY budget. Even with these adjustments, we intend to approach this task with
renewed vigor. The world has changed, and like many individuals and businesses who
are adjusting to the changes, we can no longer countenance business as usual.
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That having looked deeply into the respective needs of our students and our institution,
and in consideration of our goals of providing an exceptional education, engaging in
nationally leading research, minimizing economic barriers for our students and their
families, and optimizing the efficiency of university operations, we reluctantly feel it
necessary at this time to institute an increase in tuition of 5.4 percent, to be bought down
in the current year to 4.8 percent for Michigan-resident undergraduate students through
the application of federal stimulus funding. We do this with much sensitivity to the impact
on students and with the sad understanding that even this modest increase is a burden.
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