The Regents, meeting in regular session Friday, April 25, also established a new recreation fee, approved an increase in the student activity fee and approved the University's 2004- 10 capital plan, which includes a new $75 million science building.

• A health insurance program that includes "only modest increases in co-pays, and makes family coverage more affordable," according to President Joanne Glasser.
• A $300,000 pool to address documented faculty and staff salary-adjustment issues.
• The reallocation of $600,000 to the Provost's Office to be available to meet academic priorities. In addition, $150,000 has been allocated to Student Affairs to further enhance out-of-class experiences for EKU students.
• An allocation of $800,000 to expand Development activities and to move several existing staff positions from Foundation funding to University funding. "I firmly believe this investment will produce healthy returns as we successfully market Eastern and prepare to mount a capital campaign in the not-toodistant future," Glasser said.
• A first-time base budget allocation of $250,000 to partially address deferred maintenance needs.
• An increase of $1.4 million to the University's contingency fund. "Rebuilding our contingency and unallocated fund balance is critical to the economic health of our University," Glasser said, "and will give us the flexibility we need to weather fiscal problems."

The University will vote on the 2003-04 University budget at its next regular meeting June 21.

The Regents approved a $60-per-year recreation fee for full-time undergraduate and graduate students to provide the funds necessary to operate and maintain Phase 1 of the Campus Recreation Center now under construction. The cost for part-time undergraduate and graduate students will be $30 per year. Faculty and staff will pay $180 for an annual membership.

The facility, expected to open in the Spring 2004 semester, will include a state-of-the-art exercise and fitness facility and will offer enhanced programs such as exercise classes and aerobics. Also, the fee will eliminate the current intramural sports entrance fee of $20 per sport per team, and will fund improvements to the University's intramural complex.

A $30 annual increase to the Student Activity Fee will be dedicated to the expansion of opportunities for women to compete in intercollegiate athletics. Athletics Director John Shafer is proposing that the University field a women's soccer team for the 2005-06 season. EKU is one of only two Ohio Valley Conference schools without a women's soccer team.

"I am pleased that these recommendations do not include an additional increase in student tuition," Glasser said. "Even with the addition of a couple of new student fees, the increase in the cost of attending EKU will remain very modest and tuition will remain well below that of other institutions."

The 2004-10 capital plan approved by the Regents assigns top priority to the completion of Phase 2 of the Business & Technology Center and Campus Recreation Center. Glasser called the new science building a "significant addition" to the plan.

Also at their April 25 meeting, the Regents approved bylaws formally establishing a staff council composed of 18 elected representatives from a cross-section of the campus community.