The Purdue Board of Trustees met Friday, where President Mitch Daniels gave his end-of-the-year report and the Board approved an increased cost on faculty health care premiums.
NEW STUDENTS
Purdue University set several records this year with its incoming freshman class, research funding, technology transfer and donations.
But Daniels says there’s still a way to go.
Last week, he welcomed the most diverse freshman class in Purdue history, and the largest freshman class in recent years. That's after a record number of prospective students applied for the 2016-2017 academic year.
Purdue’s Ever True fundraising campaign had raised $1.164 billion as of early July. The goal stands at just over two billion dollars.
The Board of Trustees recognized Charles and Nancy Davidson for their $20 million donation, and renamed the School of Chemical Engineering in honor of Charles Davidson.
Daniels says the university is in demand.
“Record research dollars -- hard to do, these days, so we weren’t at all certain that could occur,” Daniels says. “But, you know, it’s never good enough. All records cause us to do is raise the bar for the next year.”
Student participation in the study abroad program is one area where Daniels wants to see improvement.
He says many students take advantage of the opportunity, but don’t pursue the lengthiest programs or the most diverse cultures.
FACULTY AND STAFF HEALTH CARE COSTS
Purdue University faculty and staff will begin to pay more for their health care in 2017, but the price is still below that of years past.
The 4-percent increase was approved by the Board of Trustees Friday.
Human Resources vice president Trent Klingerman says the adjusted price is still less than the premium costs in 2013.
He says no one wants to pay more, but he’s received no negative feedback in his conversations with staff during the past two months.
“We have held premiums flat since 2014, and so I think everybody acknowledges that we’re doing the very best we can to keep the plans affordable,” he says.
Klingerman says the health care coverage options available to faculty and staff will remain the same.