2012 fiscal budget for SHSU shows increase in operational costs, faculty salaries

The 2012 Recommended Fiscal Budget for Sam Houston State University, which was released earlier this week, reflects several changes to university income and costs.

Some major changes to the 2012 budget include a reorganization of how and where funds are allocated and major increases in housing and dining expenditures.

First, the 2012 budget was reorganized to create “Mail Services” which includes the costs of the post office. It also includes more, specific fund descriptions. The 2011 budget included costs under only one fund description titled “Post Office”.

The projected costs of “Mail Services” are around the same amount of money that the “Post Office” was last year, which was $260,000.  The only change is the fund description. The $12,000 is the only expenditure under a new fund description titled “Post Office” within Mail Services.

Mail services has moved to under designated funds this year, which are for self-sustaining student activities related to instruction, community education, public service, and scholarships. Last year, mail services were under auxiliary services, which are entities that exists primarily to furnish services to students, faculty and staff.

Additionally, the estimated student dining expenditures increased from $7.7 million in 2011 to $8.3 million this year. The increase could be due to an increase in enrollment. Last year’s enrollment was 17,617 while this year’s is estimated to be 18,500 according to President Dana Gibson, although official enrollment numbers have not been released.

Some funds allocated to dining also increased this year. The overall budget of $8.3 million was split among several other departments. The money allocated toward Board Charges University Food Services increased from $5.7 million to 6.7 million. Other increases include a $3,000 raise in funds to University Dining Facility, and an increase in funds to Maintenance UPS from $165,000 to $216,000.

Another major expenditure increase is in estimated university housing costs from $11.9 million to $13.9 million. A majority of the increase comes from the money allocated toward Residence Life. The cost rose from $1.4 million to $2.4 million. Other cost increases include a $17,000 rise in funds to Housing Maintenance.

Lastly, other important increases in this year’s recommended budget are a nearly a $1 million increase in state appropriations for faculty salaries. Other changes include a decrease in state appropriations for employee retirement from $3.4 million in 2011 to $2.3 million this year. Also, the estimated state funds going toward Student Services also fell from $1.7 million to about $577,000.