The Faculty Senate will hear a presentation from ISU President Gregory Geoffroy on the Iowa Board of Regents’ Partnership for Transformation and Excellence Plan at its meeting Tuesday.

The Faculty Senate will then discuss the proposal, which would set the rate of tuition increases for the next four years. If approved by the regents, the plan would also add $40 million a year in state funds to the regent institutions for the next four years.

Jack Girton, associate professor of biochemistry, biophysics and molecular biology, said Geoffroy will probably discuss Iowa State’s budget and the possibility of differential tuition.

“Right now, most students pay the same basic tuition, with few exceptions,” Girton said.

He said the Board of Regents has given Iowa State permission to change tuition costs for different students.

This will be a topic in discussion for a long time, and the Faculty Senate will be involved, he said.

The Faculty Senate will also review and give feedback to the ISUComm curricular plan.

Girton said the plan has been controversial for many years. He said the senate approved the first proposal a couple of years ago.

“People differ on what is the best thing to do to reach our communication goals,” Girton said.

Girton said some faculty are convinced that the ISUComm plan will work and some are not.

Gregory Palermo, professor of architecture and chairman of the Faculty Senate academic affairs council, said the WOVE concept — which emphasizes written, oral, visual and electronic communication — would be a positive contribution to the communication skills of ISU undergraduates.

He said it is important that ISUComm still focus on critical reading and writing.

Also on the agenda is a review of the second draft of the 2005-2010 strategic plan.

Both the strategic plan and the ISUComm plan will be discussed at Tuesday’s meeting.