Board Considers Tuition, Mandatory Fees for 2006-2007
This article has been archived. Information given in this article may be out-of-date or incorrect. Any web links listed in this article may be broken. Please search University of Kentucky News for more recent related articles.
Media Contact: , (859) 257-3303/699-0041
LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 7, 2006) – The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees today
approved a proposed a 12 percent increase in tuition and mandatory fees for the 2006-2007
academic year.
The proposal is 3 percent less than what UK could charge under new state guidelines from the Council on Postsecondary Education, which would have allowed up to a 15 percent increase in tuition.
UK President Lee T. Todd Jr. said the “firm commitment legislators have made” in the second year of the budget will help ensure that UK continues moving forward with its Top 20 Business Plan, while being sensitive to tuition costs.
“We have a balancing act to perform,” Todd said. “We have to be sensitive to the needs of families and students to keep education as affordable as possible. At the same time, we have a mandate and a mission to become a Top 20 public research institution, something Kentucky needs to move forward to create a healthier state, grow more jobs and a stronger economy and improve educational attainment levels.
“This proposal seeks to balance those needs.”
Under the proposal outlined yesterday during a campus forum by Todd, tuition for entering in-state freshmen in Fall 2006 would increase by $349 to $3,255 per semester. Housing and dining rates also would increase for the entire year by $249 and $132, respectively. UK’s current annual tuition is $646 less than the median of its benchmarks.
A Power Point presentation on the tuition increase proposal is available online.
The tuition proposal is based on a projected state budget, expected to be passed by the Kentucky House of Representatives this week, which would increase UK’s base operating funds for 2006-2007 by $4.6 million, a 1.5 percent increase. The proposed budget would increase UK’s operating funds in 2007-2008 by about $14 million. Included is $9 million tied directly to the Top 20 Business Plan, something that Todd said “indicates clearly the legislature’s support of the plan and their interest in seeing results.”
UK received a more than $18 million increase for operating funds and designated programs in the current year. The Top 20 Business Plan called for an $18 million increase for the 2006-2007 school year, which would have held tuition under 10 percent.
Under the Top 20 Plan, over the next 15 years, UK is committed to:
The proposal is 3 percent less than what UK could charge under new state guidelines from the Council on Postsecondary Education, which would have allowed up to a 15 percent increase in tuition.
UK President Lee T. Todd Jr. said the “firm commitment legislators have made” in the second year of the budget will help ensure that UK continues moving forward with its Top 20 Business Plan, while being sensitive to tuition costs.
“We have a balancing act to perform,” Todd said. “We have to be sensitive to the needs of families and students to keep education as affordable as possible. At the same time, we have a mandate and a mission to become a Top 20 public research institution, something Kentucky needs to move forward to create a healthier state, grow more jobs and a stronger economy and improve educational attainment levels.
“This proposal seeks to balance those needs.”
Under the proposal outlined yesterday during a campus forum by Todd, tuition for entering in-state freshmen in Fall 2006 would increase by $349 to $3,255 per semester. Housing and dining rates also would increase for the entire year by $249 and $132, respectively. UK’s current annual tuition is $646 less than the median of its benchmarks.
A Power Point presentation on the tuition increase proposal is available online.
The tuition proposal is based on a projected state budget, expected to be passed by the Kentucky House of Representatives this week, which would increase UK’s base operating funds for 2006-2007 by $4.6 million, a 1.5 percent increase. The proposed budget would increase UK’s operating funds in 2007-2008 by about $14 million. Included is $9 million tied directly to the Top 20 Business Plan, something that Todd said “indicates clearly the legislature’s support of the plan and their interest in seeing results.”
UK received a more than $18 million increase for operating funds and designated programs in the current year. The Top 20 Business Plan called for an $18 million increase for the 2006-2007 school year, which would have held tuition under 10 percent.
Under the Top 20 Plan, over the next 15 years, UK is committed to:
- Increase enrollment by 7,000 students - to 32,700;
- Increase what is already the state's highest graduation rate by at least 12 percentage points - to 72 percent;
- Increase the number of faculty by 625 - to more than 2,500;
- Increase research expenditures by $470 million - to $768 million; and
- Increase engagement in Kentucky's schools, farms, businesses, and communities.
The plan also calls for increases in faculty and staff base salaries over the
next six years through merit pools of 3 percent and an additional 2.5 percent for faculty to
catch-up to the benchmark median. Todd also said he wants to designate an additional $5 million
for a staff benefit pool.
Todd said the proposed state appropriation and tuition increases would force UK to make tough choices to stay on course with the goals outlined in the Top 20 Business Plan. “The bottom line is we are not backing off the ambitious goals we have set for UK and for Kentucky,” he said. “Kentucky can’t afford for UK to back off the goals in our plan. Over the next few months as we prepare the university’s budget, we have to take a hard look at how best we can move forward.”
Todd cited the fact that states with Top 20 universities are more educated, healthier, and more financially secure. Average household incomes are higher in states with Top 20 universities. The median income in these states is over $10,000 higher than in Kentucky. Fewer people live in poverty and fewer public dollars are spent on health care in Top 20 states, Todd said. Sixteen percent of Kentuckians live in poverty. In states with Top 20 universities, the rate is 11 percent.
Todd said even though the state budget isn’t finalized, it was important to go ahead with tuition rates for next year. Acceptance letters and scholarship offers need to go out in March and “families and students need to have all the information available to prepare as early as possible for the cost of higher education,” Todd said, adding that dramatic changes in the 2006-07 budget outlook could change the tuition numbers.
Todd said the proposed state appropriation and tuition increases would force UK to make tough choices to stay on course with the goals outlined in the Top 20 Business Plan. “The bottom line is we are not backing off the ambitious goals we have set for UK and for Kentucky,” he said. “Kentucky can’t afford for UK to back off the goals in our plan. Over the next few months as we prepare the university’s budget, we have to take a hard look at how best we can move forward.”
Todd cited the fact that states with Top 20 universities are more educated, healthier, and more financially secure. Average household incomes are higher in states with Top 20 universities. The median income in these states is over $10,000 higher than in Kentucky. Fewer people live in poverty and fewer public dollars are spent on health care in Top 20 states, Todd said. Sixteen percent of Kentuckians live in poverty. In states with Top 20 universities, the rate is 11 percent.
Todd said even though the state budget isn’t finalized, it was important to go ahead with tuition rates for next year. Acceptance letters and scholarship offers need to go out in March and “families and students need to have all the information available to prepare as early as possible for the cost of higher education,” Todd said, adding that dramatic changes in the 2006-07 budget outlook could change the tuition numbers.