Following Gov. Rick Snyder’s proposed 15-percent cut to higher education, University President George Ross said he “cannot speak to” if the proposal will be approved by state government.

“(Snyder) is attempting to ‘right-size’ our state,” Ross said. “He has inherited a tremendous budget deficit. The pressure on the legislature and the government is going to be tremendous.”

The request includes upgrades to classroom furniture, floors, lights, windows, roofing, doors, fiber optics, ceilings and a new heating, ventilating and air conditioning system to both buildings.

It was submitted to the state Jan. 20 pending board approval. Pearce Hall’s elevators also would be replaced under the plan, said Steve Lawrence, associate vice president of Facilities Management, earlier this week.

Before the plan can come to fruition, the Capital Outlay Subcommittee must approve the capital outlay funds for the university. The joint committee hears requests from the state’s 15 public universities and 20-some community colleges each spring to draw funding for campus projects.

Other business Trustees approved a 2-percent increase to graduate assistantships and graduate athletic assistantships.

Master's candidates and non-degree graduate students or a specialist candidate with less than 30 hours beyond a bachelor's degree earn $9,800 to $14,400. The board approved an increase of $10,000 to $14,700 rate for these students effective next year.

Doctoral candidates or specialist candidates with 30 hours beyond a bachelor's earn $10,850 to $19,000. Next year, they will receive $11,050 to $19,300.

Ross said giving graduate assistants a pay increase is an issue of fairness.

"The government says we all need to make a sacrifice; I think that group has made that sacrifice," Ross said, as the group has not received a pay increase for two years.

Graduate fellowships also received a 2-percent increase after board approval Thursday. During the 2010-11 school year, these awards include a stipend of $12,600 for doctoral students and $10,300 for subdoctoral students.

Effective for the 2011-12 academic year, graduate fellowship stipends will increase to $12,850 for doctoral reasearch fellowships and $10,500 for graduate research and diversity fellowships.

The board approved a proposal to allow Merit Network, Inc., use part of the university's annual membership fees to help pay down a bond debt acquired by the organization for a project to expand broadband networks across the state.

The university has been affiliated with Merit for several years.

Merit acquired bond debt to match federal funds for their project.

“We are asking the board to give Merit the capability to use a portion of our membership fees to pay down a bond they’ve taken on as a result of some networking projects,” Roger Rehm, vice president of Information Technology and chief information officer said earlier this week.

CMU’s portion of the repayment would amount to a 4.23 percent of the total $8 million bond, or $264,105, an amount the university pays to the organization annually.

“The impact of the project is pretty significant and what the board of trustees is being asked for is relatively minor, just a legal nicety to make sure the board is aware of what Merit funds are being used for in order to support the project,” Rehm said.

Members approved the president’s authority to negotiate collective bargaining agreements with the Faculty Association (MEA), the Campus Police (POAM) and Service-Maintenance (AFSCME) unions, for “2011-12 and beyond” on the board’s behalf.