The Yale Corporation approved plans for the renovation of Pierson College and set the value of next year’s term bill during its meeting this weekend, Yale President Richard Levin said Tuesday.

The University’s highest decision-making body approved funding for the continuation of Yale’s residential college renovations and received an update on labor issues. Levin also briefed Corporation members on the community’s response to the Jan. 17 crash that killed four Yale students and left five others injured.

At the meeting, the Corporation voted to increase the undergraduate term bill by 4.6 percent to $37,000, marking the largest rise since 1995. Levin said the increase was necessary because alumni gift revenues have decreased and because the endowment is not rising as rapidly as it has in past years.

The Corporation also voted to move ahead with the renovation of Pierson College. The project, which includes plans to erect a new building and increase Pierson’s capacity by 50 students, is expected to cost $59 million. In addition, the Corporation approved roof repairs at the baseball field and funding for a new chemical research building. Construction on the chemistry building will begin this summer.

In discussing labor issues with the Corporation, Levin said while he does not want a strike, the administration is ready to deal with a number of possible situations.

“We’re prepared for many contingencies, including a strike,” he said.

In examining Yale’s role outside of New Haven, the Corporation’s Institutional Policies Committee discussed national security measures and their potential implications for the University, Levin said. One major topic members discussed was the changing immigration system and the restrictions international students sometimes face, even after reaching the U.S.

“[An international] student, once here, ought to have the run of the University,” Levin said.

Levin said the Corporation also received information about a new type of government research — “sensitive” research. Currently, there is “classified” and “unclassified” research, and sensitive research would fall between the two. Currently, Yale only conducts unclassified research, but Levin said he thought it was important to keep the Corporation updated about this still-undefined area of research.

“We want to work with [the Corporation] and the faculty in the coming months in order to help shape public policy to take account of both legitimate national security concerns and preserve the traditional freedoms of inquiry in the University,” he said.

Levin and University Secretary Linda Lorimer also gave a presentation to Corporation members on strengthening Yale’s support of international activities. The University would benefit from a stronger alumni network overseas and closer ties between Yale and schools abroad, Levin said.

In addition, the Development and Alumni Affairs Committee discussed a 10-year study on donations to Yale, and compared these numbers to those from peer institutions. Levin said the study showed Yale was one of the top schools in terms of alumni support, and that the University received enough financial support from foundations to place it in the middle of the pack. But the Committee also discussed areas in which Yale was relatively weak, including donations from corporations and unaffiliated individuals.