Following months of discussion, the University Board of Regents unanimously voted Thursday to approve a budget for the 2003-04 school year.

Regent Frank Berman called balancing the budget a “Herculean task.”

The final plan addresses a $93.9 million reduction in state appropriations by increasing undergraduate tuition, cutting programs, freezing employee wages and increasing health-care premiums. This spring, state legislators cut funding to the University by $185 million over the next two years.

University administrators and union representatives still need to agree on how wage freezes and premium increases will be implemented.

Regents called the budget a short-term solution and asked University President Bob Bruininks and administrators to study potential long-term effects.

“It was the best we could do with what we had,” Regent Anthony Baraga said.

Kari Petrie welcomes comments at [email protected]