The unanimous action was taken at the regents' quarterly meeting Tuesday.
The FY09 budget represents a 12 percent increase from FY08.
"The UH System is continuing to expand to meet the educational needs of our growing community," said Welcome Wilson, chairman of the board. "This budget reflects our continuing commitment to providing a first-rate academic experience for our students while remaining fiscally responsible."
The UH System consists of four universities - the University of Houston, UH-Clear Lake, UH-Downtown and UH-Victoria - and two teaching centers, UHS-Cinco Ranch and UHS-Sugar Land. Total enrollment for FY09 is expected to exceed 58,000 students.
The new budget increases financial aid and scholarship funding; expands academic and advisory support for students; increases the number of faculty members; finances construction, maintenance and renovation of academic buildings; underwrites campus life initiatives; and provides salary increases for selected faculty and staff.
On a university by university basis, here is the FY09 budget:
- University of Houston -- $945 million
- UH-Clear Lake -- $95 million
- UH-Downtown -- $124 million
- UH-Victoria -- $65 million
- UH System Administration -- $20 million
- The FY09 budget goes into effect Sept. 1, 2008.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM
The University of Houston System is the state's only metropolitan higher education system, encompassing four universities and two multi-institution teaching centers. The universities are the University of Houston, a nationally recognized doctoral degree-granting, comprehensive research university; the University of Houston-Downtown, a four-year undergraduate university beginning limited expansion into graduate programs; and the University of Houston-Clear Lake and the University of Houston-Victoria, both upper division and master's-level institutions. The centers are the UH System at Sugar Land in Fort Bend and the UH System at Cinco Ranch. In addition, the UH System includes KUHF-FM, Houston's National Public Radio and classical radio station, and KUHT-TV, the nation's first educational television station.