Primary purpose for Auburn stimulus funds to be student support and learning
Auburn University has identified programs that $25.9 million in stimulus funds from the federal government will support once released by Gov. Bob Riley. The majority of the funds will support student learning, safety and other enhancements, as well as teaching. The intent is to enhance the experience of the entire student body, which for fiscal year 2010 has reached 24,602. "It would have taken a 26 percent tuition increase to cover the gap created by the dramatic decrease in state appropriations for fiscal year 2010," said Don Large, Auburn University executive vice president. "The promise of stimulus funding allowed us to mitigate that by using the majority of funds to improve student services." Large added that Auburn University Montgomery also used the planned funding to mitigate tuition increase and preserve faculty and staff support jobs that would otherwise be eliminated due to state appropriation reductions. Funds will be used to provide additional services at the Auburn University Libraries and Honors College, and for student wireless communications and classroom multimedia upgrades, as well as to enhance public safety and security. For more information, read the news release.
Tags: auburn university, Auburn University Montgomery, Don Large, Governor Bob Riley, stimulus funds