UpDate - Vol. 13, No. 11, Page 1
November 11, 1993
Campus officials request $72.5 million from state 

     University of Delaware officials yesterday outlined a $72.5 million
budget request for Fiscal Year 1995 before state budget director Michael C.
Ferguson in Dover, focusing on support for scholarships and other programs
to enhance services to Delawareans.
     The request represents an increase of $1.7 million, or 2.4 percent
over last year.
     Recognizing the continuing economic pressures on the state budget,
"the University has shown reason and restraint in its request for new
items," President David P. Roselle said.  "The University is sympathetic to
the state's fiscal difficulties and continues to exhibit moderation in the
amount of its budget requests."
     At the same time, Roselle said, the University has experienced
"significant financial pressures of its own and has effectively balanced
its budget through expenditure reductions of approximately $32 million over
the past four fiscal years, including the elimination of the equivalent of
nearly 300 personnel positions within its basic operating budget."
     The state's proposed 2 percent reduction of support to the University,
which would total $1.4 million, would "seriously hamper the University's
capability to provide essential services to the state's citizens," Roselle
said, and he urged restoration of the proposed reduction in the state's
allocation to the institution.
     If the reduction were to happen, Roselle said, 16 programs and
services would have to be reduced or eliminated,  including three-fourths
of the funding for the Delaware Research Partnership and all of the funding
for the Financial Services Center.  Both of these programs are important to
the state's economic recovery and future, Roselle said, as they "involve
investment in high technology and other entrepreneurial enterprises with
the potential for infusing new life into the state's industrial base."
     Roselle said the first priority for funding increase from the state is
an additional $150,000 for the Summer School for Teachers program.
     "Over the past several years," Roselle said, "the state subsidy for
this program has not covered the tuition revenues waived by the University
for participating Delaware elementary and secondary school teachers."
     Since 1992, he continued, teacher's aides and paraprofessionals also
have been allowed to enroll in the program, and the number of individuals
using tuition waivers has increased substantially.  The amount of tuition
waived by the University has increased from $479,000 in 1990-91 to $693,000
last year, while state funding has increased by only $4,000 for this same
period, from $208,900 to $213,100.
     Of the University's request for $322,600 in additional funds for
scholarships, Roselle said, "The University maintains its commitment to
attracting the brightest and most qualified students to the University,"
including programs designed to attract more African-American students and
to achieve fuller equity for athletes involved in men's and women's sports.
     In other areas, Roselle requested funds to meet inflationary increases
in several areas of the budget, the majority of which would be used to
cover the increased costs of library books and periodicals, in addition to
support funds for programs in several special lines, notably in
agricultural sciences.
     Roselle also detailed requests for program and personnel support in
the Poultry Disease Research Program; the Family Nurse Practitioner
Program; the Urban Agent Program; the Science, Engineering and Technology
Services Program; the Parallel Program; the Physical Therapy Program; and
the Center for Composite Materials.
     "As economic conditions improve," Roselle said, "we ask that the
University be given fair and equitable treatment vis-a-vis the other
state-assisted institutions.
     "A clear example of how the equity might be achieved would be to
ensure that, should additional funds for higher education become available
prior to preparation of the governor's recommended budget, those funds be
distributed to the three institutions on a proportional basis related to
each institution's share of the total higher education state appropriation.
     "We pride ourselves on being the premier educational resource to the
citizens of Delaware," Roselle said, "and we ask that our funding be both
equitable and cognizant of our service to the state."
     At the hearing, University officials also presented a $7 million
capital request for three projects:
     Capital request

        * $4 million for an addition to and renovation of Colburn
          Laboratory-home of the world-renowned Department of Chemical
          Engineering, which is a primary source of external research
          support at the University;
        * $1 million for facilities renewal and renovation across the
          campus; and
        * $2 million to begin an addition to and renovation of Purnell
          Hall-home of the College of Business and Economics, the
          University's second largest college.

     This marks the second of four requests the University will make for
Colburn Laboratory.
     The state appropriated $3 million in FY 1994 to begin the project.
There had been no significant enhancement to this building since it was
built 27 years ago.
     "Expansion and enhancement of the laboratory space in Colburn
Laboratory is both timely and consistent with the mission and direction of
the chemical engineering department," Roselle said. "The return on
investment in such facilities is evident in the track record of
productivity in the department in securing external research support," he
said.
     The request for facilities renewal and renovation involves several
buildings across the campus, including proposed projects in Evans Hall,
Brown Laboratory, Memorial Hall and Recitation Hall, all built between 1892
and 1936.
     The campus physical plant is a major asset, Roselle said, and funds
being requested would be invested to preserve that asset.
     The state appropriated $800,000 in FY 1994 for facilities renewal and
renovation.
     The third request is for an addition to and renovation of Purnell
Hall.
     This $2 million, the first installment of $11 million to be requested
over four years, would be used to add much needed classroom and faculty
office space, as well as student computing laboratory facilities.
     Built in 1972, Purnell Hall is today significantly overcrowded and
insufficient to meet the full range of space needs for the college.
     Since it was built, the number of degrees awarded by the college has
more than doubled, the number of student credit hours taught has increased
by more than 60 percent and the number of full-time faculty has increased
from 48 to 87.