Room and board rates will increase for fall semester at Bowling Green State University.
Residence hall room rates will increase an average of 2.5 percent for its three-tiered system ranging
from basic to deluxe rooms, for the incoming fall class of students. The standard basic double room cost
will increase 2.8 percent, or $80 a semester, to $2,865.
“We remain a terrific value,” said Chief Financial Officer Sheri Stoll at Friday’s board of trustee’s
meeting. With the changes, BGSU remains in the lower half of the 13 state public universities for room
and board rates, she said.
This is the second cohort of students under the Falcon Tuition Guarantee plan, which holds a rate for a
student’s four year period of study.
The board also approved an average 1.5 percent increase across the three-tier meal plan, which will also
be guaranteed under the Falcon Tuition Guarantee plan.
Some special course fees were also increased and, except for the aviation program fees, those are also
included in the Falcon Tuition Guarantee plan. Except for the aviation program, all fees were related to
lab or consumable costs, some going from $25 to $50. Meanwhile, in the College of Education and Human
Development, four fees ranging from $200 to $250 were removed.
Fees for 26 line items increased in aviation including an hourly instructional fee of $58 that increased
to $61 and an Advanced Commercial Flight instruction fee that went from $13,739 to $14,360.
The board also approved the second portion of funding for a major renovation of the College of Technology
building, at a cost of $9.3 million. The first round of renovations were $1.085 million. Project
completion is expected in summer 2021.
This final round of renovations will cover classrooms, computer labs, a robotics lab, large-format
printing and hands-on laboratory space for the visual communication, engineering and construction
technology programs.
Conklin Hall will also receive renovations and upgrades to the HVAC totaling $1.57 million.
In addition, the board approved the naming of two campus spaces.
The Center for Student Leadership will now be known as the C. Raymond Marvin Center for Student
Leadership, in recognition of the many contributions of the 1960 BGSU alumnus.
“It’s a significant gift for the university,” said Pamela Conlin, vice president of university
advancement.
In 2017, the university presented Marvin an honorary doctorate of liberal arts.
“Ray Marvin’s significant contributions will allow us to continue to elevate the student experience at
BGSU,” BGSU President Rodney Rogers said. “We are empowering our students to graduate from BGSU and be
leaders in their profession and their community. That’s one way BGSU creates public good.”
The board also honored trustee Betty Montgomery by naming an area in the Center for the Future of
Forensic Science the Betty D. Montgomery Conference Room.
The $20,000 gift to the university, from the combined donations of board of trustees members, came as a
surprise to Montgomery.
“Oh, it was an absolute surprise. I was sitting there and they kept talking about my biography. I was
thinking there are other people on the board, you don’t need to keep talking about me. About halfway
through I figured something was up. I was overwhelmed. It was so kind of them,” Montgomery said.
A 1970 alumna, she has had a distinguished career in public service, having served as Ohio auditor of
state, Ohio attorney general, state senator, Wood County prosecuting attorney and prosecuting attorney
for the city of Perrysburg. She has been a longtime supporter of the university in many areas. BGSU has
presented her the Distinguished Alumni Award, the Centennial Alumni Award and the Lifetime Achievement
Award.
Trustees also honored three faculty members. The title of Distinguished Research Professor was conferred
upon George Bullerjahn, professor of research excellence in biological sciences, and Albert Dzur,
professor of political science. Named Distinguished Teaching Professor was Rachel Vannatta, a professor
in the School of Educational Foundations, Leadership and Policy and co-director of the Center of
Assessment and Evaluation Service. Each will be recognized again at the annual Faculty Excellence Awards
April 16.