Trustees hold semiannual meeting

Trustees hold semiannual meeting

President says performing arts center top construction priority

A new performing arts center in Newark is the University's highest priority for addition to its physical plant, University President David P. Roselle told members of the Board of Trustees at its semiannual meeting May 21.

The University engaged the nationally known firm of Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates to conduct a feasibility study for such a center, Roselle said.

The proposed new center, planned for a site near the Amy E. du Pont Music Building, would address several needs, Roselle said, including classroom and practice space in the music building, a second performance space for the Professional Theatre Training Program and practice and instrument storage space for the Marching Band.

Roselle said the higher academic profile of today's undergraduates has resulted in more students who study music. In the last decade, the number of music majors has doubled and the number of minors in music and theatre has tripled. Currently, there is no on-campus location where the visual and performing arts can mix, he said.

Also, in his remarks, Roselle discussed the admission profile for the incoming freshman class, which will be the finest in the University's history. He noted that in the last 10 years, the number of applications has increased from 12,500 in 1992 to more than 20,000 for the new class this fall. In the same period, UD's acceptance rate has dropped from 85 percent of applicants to 47 percent of applicants today.

"The University of Delaware is now the institution of choice for highly qualified undergraduate applicants in the mid-Atlantic region," he said.

At the same time, Roselle said, the University pays close attention to the admission of Delaware residents. He said 80 percent of Delawareans who plan to go to college apply to UD, and 85 percent of those who apply are accepted.

In his presentation, Roselle also discussed a new early childhood initiative that will explore care for children between the ages of 3 months and 5 years. (See related article on page 3.)

At the meeting, trustees approved several resolutions, including:

establishment of the Edward H. Rosenberry Fund for Awards in the Department of English, in honor of the late Dr. Rosenberry, who was a member of the English faculty for 27 years and acting dean of the College of Arts and Science for a time;

* increasing the annual dining plan cost an average of 4.9 percent (the traditional 19-meal-a-week plan with 400 points will increase by $120 to $2,590);

increasing the residence hall rate by an average of 5.5 percent (a traditional multiple room will go up $168 to $3,232);

increasing fees for the Student Center (from $52 to $60 per semester for full-time students), the comprehensive fee (from $53 to $60 per semester); and the Student Health Service fee (from $155 to $165 per semester); and

establishing several new academic programs, including a new joint major in food business management and technology in the Department of Food and Resource Economics and the Department of Animal and Food Sciences; a new doctorate in physical therapy and phasing out the master of physical therapy degree; new graduate degree programs, Master of Science in Ocean Engineering and Doctor of Philosophy in Ocean Engineering, to be offered in both the College of Marine Studies and the College of Engineering; a new major leading to the bachelor of science with a major in management information systems; a new major leading to the bachelor of science in information systems; and a new master of science in information systems and technology management.