UM Board of Trustees Approves Strategic Plan, Ram Kids Program, Tuition, and Center for Christian Worldview, Public Policy and the Law

The University of Mobile Board of Trustees today approved a strategic plan to guide the Baptist-affiliated university during the next three years. The plan includes construction of a 100,000-square-foot university center which will serve as a hub for student activities on the 800-acre campus.

The Board also approved the creation of The Center for Christian Worldview, Public Policy, and the Law in partnership with the Alabama Policy Institute; Ram Kids mentoring program; and tuition increases for Fall 2006.

"Our strategic plan, called 'Enhance the Experience,' is focused on continuing to enrich the entire college experience for our students, from academics to student activities," said UM President Dr. Mark Foley. The plan includes goals of increasing enrollment from 1,804 to 2,100 students within three years and increasing campus housing from its current capacity of 500 to 700. Currently, 489 students live on campus and a new residence hall with a capacity of 151 will open in Fall 2006.

A key component in enhancing campus life is construction of a $16 million university center by Fall 2008, Foley said. Plans include a 600-seat lecture hall that could expand to 1,000 seats, a fitness center and gym, a large atrium and food court, open patio, bookstore, post office, coffee shop, classroom, meeting rooms, computer lab, and a 50-bed residential floor.

Foley said the university is actively pursing funding for the facility, which will serve as a campus hub for activities. The Ram Kids mentoring and intervention program for at-risk youth from the local Prichard community will be housed in the university center. Foley said funding is being sought to implement the program, which will provide opportunities for college preparation, leadership development, mentoring with UM students, and college scholarships to UM for selected youth in fifth grade through high school.

The Center for Christian Worldview, Public Policy, and the Law is the result of a partnership between UM and the Alabama Policy Institute, a non-profit, research and educational institute established to identify, develop and promote sound public policies that emphasize a limited government, free markets and competition, the rule of law and the preservation of healthy families. The purpose of the new Center is to explore and communicate the impact of Christian worldview among current and future leaders with regard to the formation of public policy and the interpretation of the law, according to Foley.

The Board approved tuition increases designed to move the university more in line with the cost of attending similar private schools in the region.

"We are currently underpricing a University of Mobile education," Foley said. "We must move our pricing structure to a level that is more in line with other private universities in our region."

The university charges a flat tuition rate for full-time undergraduate students taking 12 to 17 hours per semester. The Board approved a 17.3 percent increase in undergraduate tuition for 12-17 hours from $5,115 per semester to $6,000 per semester. Graduate tuition rose 23.7 percent from $275 per hour to $340 per hour.

Housing charges will increase from 7.9 percent to 8.4 percent, depending upon residence halls. Room charges for Samford Hall will increase 7.9 percent from $1,855 to $2,000 per semester; Arendall, Bedsole and Ingram halls will increase 8.4 percent from $1,680 to $1,820 per semester; and Avery Woods cottages, houses and modular units will increase 8.7 percent from $1,565 to $1,700 per semester. The Board also established a room charge of $2,000 per semester for the new North Hall residence facility that will open in Fall 2006.

Board charges increased 4 percent from $1,340 to $1,395 per semester.

Fees remained unchanged except for the addition of a $125 testing fee for several upper-level computer, communication and business courses.