The University of Houston System Board of Regents has approved a $1.1 billion budget for its four universities and two teaching centers for fiscal year 2008.

The budget, which becomes effective Sept. 1, represents a 12.8 percent increase from the previous year’s total of $986 million. This reflects an overall increase in state funding authorized by the 80th Texas Legislature.

“We are grateful for the additional legislative support. We can continue to make progress achieving key strategic objectives such as research, academic enhancements and capital improvements,” said Leroy Hermes, chairman of the UH System Board of Regents. “This also allows us to keep our tuition and fee costs at a reasonable level.”

Enrollment for the fall semester for the UH System is projected to be approximately 57,000 students.

The FY08 budget calls for hiring 57 new faculty members, provides $9 million in new financial aid for students, and allocates $6 million per year for five years to build out UH’s Science and Engineering Research and Classroom Complex. It also helps fund a $97-million loft-style student residence at UH, an $12-million renovation and expansion of UH-Clear Lake’s Arbor Building, a new $3.5-million library project at UH-Downtown and a $35-million academic building at UHS-Sugar Land teaching center.

Here are the individual budgets for each institution:

• University of Houston – $812 million
• UH-Clear Lake – $91 million
• UH-Downtown – $119 million
• UH-Victoria – $71 million
• UH System Administration – $19 million

In addition to approving the budget, the board also elected officers for FY08. Welcome Wilson Sr. will serve as chairman, Calvin Stephens as vice chairman and Jim Wise as secretary. (See separate release.)

The nine-member UH System Board of Regents, who are appointed by the governor of Texas, serves as the governing body of the University of Houston System, which includes the University of Houston, UH-Clear Lake, UH-Downtown, UH-Victoria and teaching centers in Sugar Land and Cinco Ranch.

For more information about the UH System Board of Regents, please see: http://www.uhsa.uh.edu/regents/