UD Seeking More Funds for Scholarships

DOVER, Del. (AP) - The University of Delaware is seeking a modest increase in next year's operating budget from state lawmakers, pledging that any increase will go to scholarships for Delaware students.
     
UD president Dennis Assanis presented an operating budget request of $122.4 million on Friday. That's about $4 million more than the school's current general fund appropriation, which includes $10.3 million for scholarships.
    
UD is also seeking tens of millions of taxpayer dollars for capital expenditures, including $60 million over three years to build a new science building, and $15 million a year to help with deferred maintenance.
    
Assanis, who's been at the helm of UD for about six months, says the university, which has an endowment portfolio of about $1.5 billion, has a maintenance backlog of $512 million over five years.