The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education took action on several tuition-related items and approved a dual credit policy at its meeting Friday at the University of Kentucky.
The Council set tuition and mandatory fee ceilings for in-state, undergraduate students for the state’s public colleges and universities for the 2012-13 academic year. The maximum base rate increases are 4 percent for the Kentucky Community and College System, 5 percent for the comprehensive universities, and 6 percent for the research institutions.
Even with the estimated $45.1 million that will be generated with the new tuition and fee revenue, campuses will be faced with a net operating deficit of $79.6 million for FY13.
The deficit stems from a $62.6 million cut in state general funds to public postsecondary education in the 2012 Budget Bill (HB 265) and an estimated $62.1 million increase in institutional fixed costs. The shortfall does not include the $38.3 million in unfunded maintenance and operation costs that the institutions have absorbed since 2008 or are expected to incur in 2012-13.
“These are difficult economic times all around. We understand that raising tuition, even at moderate levels, causes concern for our students and families. What would cause greater concern, however, is if we allowed the quality of our academic programs and services to deteriorate. These tuition ceilings strike the right balance between affordability concerns of Kentuckians and the needs of our campuses to serve students,” said Council President Bob King.
In other tuition action, the Council approved the 2012-13 floor for nonresident, undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees at two times the resident, undergraduate rate; approved allowing universities to submit market competitive resident and nonresident tuition and mandatory fee rates for graduate and online courses; and approved Northern Kentucky University’s 2012-13 tuition and fee rates with exceptions for selected nonresident rates.
