Undergraduate students at the UA this year who have more than 155 credit hours and do not qualify as exceptions will end up paying an extra fee under a plan mandated by the state Legislature and passed Friday by the Arizona Board of Regents.
The maximum credit threshold will be lowered to 150 hours next year and will drop to 145 every year after that.
Students exceeding the threshold will pay a per-credit fee if they are taking one to six units, or 20 percent of their tuition if they are taking between seven and 20 units.
Students who meet the criteria to be considered exceptions, like those students whose degree programs require credit hours beyond the threshold or who are working toward two bachelor’s degrees, do not have to pay the fee.
The regents’ actions were prompted by an act passed in the state Legislature earlier this year that mandates Arizona institutions to curb the rate of students abusing the university system.
President Robert Shelton said he supports the measure as long as the exceptions are included. He said the intent of the legislation is to make more students finish up their degrees in a timely way.
“”What we’d like to see is more people graduate,”” Shelton said.
Shelton said only about 10 UA students exceed 155 credit hours without meeting one of the exceptions, but the number of students will jump to 72 once the threshold lowers to 150, according to data provided by the regents.
Regents approve plan for MFA in dance
The board approved plans Friday to establish a new master’s degree in the School of Dance, shifting the existing program from within the theatre arts degree.
Provost George Davis said dance is one option under the master of fine arts in theatre degree, but it has proven over the years to be able to sustain itself as a separate program.
Since the School of Dance and the School of Theatre Arts currently share buildings and classrooms, students already seeking an MFA in dance from the theatre arts department will not see a difference in facilities.
Davis also said the change in the degree program will not have any effect on tuition for dance students.
Athletics to get building upgrades
Intercollegiate athletes at the UA and users of the Student Recreation Center will have more room to move under a plan regents approved Friday.
The UA requested approval for construction and renovation projects at the Mary Roby Gymnastics Training Facility and Hillenbrand Aquatic Center, increasing their budget from $17.2 million to $20 million. Of this, $1 million will be funded by gifts, while $19 million will come from system revenue bonds.
There are also plans for another indoor training facility to be used by basketball and volleyball teams and summer camps. The project is designed to alleviate current scheduling problems in McKale Center and to ease the burden on the Student Recreation Center.
Renovations in the gymnastics center will allow team members to practice using space and equipment that is more similar to what is used in competition.
The regents also approved a project to create an aquatic center diving pool designed to meet the specifications of the pools used in championship meets.
Cherry Garage to have handicap access
Although the projected cost increased by an estimated 1.6 million, the Cherry Avenue Parking Garage will soon be renovated to allow for greater handicap access and add an additional 250 parking spots, regents said Friday.
Joel Valdez, senior vice president of business affairs, said the garage will build outward toward the south and will include the addition of current technology, such as elevators and cashier booths.
Money generated from tuition will not be used, as the applied money has been collected and saved in recent years, Valdez said.
“”Everything is paid for,”” Valdez said. “”We saved the money over four to five years so we wouldn’t have to issue any bonds.””
Valdez said construction on the garage should begin in March 2007 and be completed by August 2007.
