UK Trustees Increase Tuition and Fees

UK Trustees Increase Tuition and Fees

The tuition rates for 2004-05 were set utilizing a sliding scale designed to accurately reflect program needs and costs, and not to burden unduly any particular student group. The tuition rate increases vary depending on whether an individual is a lower division undergraduate (freshmen and sophomores), an upper division undergraduate (juniors and seniors), or a graduate student. The new tuition rates also differ depending on the student’s major area of study and resident status.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 6, 2004) -- The University of Kentucky Board of Trustees today approved increases in tuition and fees, along with room and board fees for UK students effective for the fall 2004 semester.

The increases were discussed and submitted to the trustees for action by the board’s Finance Committee, which met earlier in the day.

UK President Lee T. Todd Jr. told the board members that the tuition and fees increase is necessary because, “We have a responsibility to our faculty and staff to provide them competitive salaries and benefits and the resources they need to feel good about the professional tasks that we ask them to perform.”

Todd added that the university has done everything that was asked of it in House Bill 1, which set a goal for UK to reach top-20 status by the year 2020. He said the number and quality of UK students has increased, and UK has broken all records in attracting additional research dollars.

Speaking of the state budget cuts UK has experienced, Todd said, “We can’t afford the kind of cuts we've been seeing.” Some persons, he said, believe the recent cuts “might just be a bump on the road and that we'll recover when the economy improves. My concern is that it might also be a drop off the cliff.”

Commenting on recent losses of senior faculty members to other universities, Todd said, “Momentum shifts in higher education just like it does in basketball games – when the other team gets it, you will find that people like Vanderbilt start coming after our top faculty, and we lose that game.”

The president closed his remarks by telling board members, “We've got to stay the course behind House Bill 1, not just for ourselves, not just inside the walls of this institution, but for the good of Kentucky.”

Most full-time, resident, lower division undergraduate students will pay $5,164.50 per year in tuition and fees, an increase of $618 or 13.6 percent. Most non-resident, full-time, lower division undergraduate students will pay $11,944.50, up $718 or 6.4 percent.

Most full-time, resident, upper division undergraduate students will pay $5,314.50 per year in tuition and fees, an increase of $768 or 16.9 percent. Most non-resident, full-time, upper division undergraduate students will pay $12,094.50, up $868 from the previous year or 7.7 percent.

For tuition and fee purposes, a full-time academic load for undergraduate students is 12 credit hours, or the equivalent; nine hours for graduate students; and 10 hours for law students.

Students majoring in certain disciplines will be charged additional fees, either per credit hour or via a program fee or surcharge per semester. For example, students will be charged an additional $15 per credit hour for all engineering courses. Undergraduate majors in interior design and architecture will be charged an additional program fee of $115 per semester.

Todd said the tuition increases are necessary to keep the university moving forward and to maintain financial stability.

He said the tuition increases will raise about $20 million in additional revenue, but will still leave the university far behind its funding needs because of recurring budget cuts in state funds. The cumulative effect of the state reductions since July 1, 2001, totals $74 million.

Even after the tuition rate increase, the university will need to find $12 million to fund basic cost increases. The president said the shortfall will be managed savings achieved by overhead cost recovery and additional program reductions across departments.

“The university remains committed to the goal of achieving top-20 status and furthering its land-grant and research mission of solving problems for Kentuckians,” Todd said. “We must not allow UK to backslide from the positive momentum our students, faculty, staff and alumni have helped to foster.”

“Many of our benchmark institutions also have had significant tuition increases, and UK remains a value in higher education,” Todd said. “Our students expect and deserve to receive a top-notch education. They need quality teachers, classrooms and research labs that promote a nationally competitive academic environment that inspires.”

Resident graduate students will pay $5,652.50 per year in tuition and fees, up from $4,974.50, and non-residents will pay $13,092.50, up from $12,314.50. New annual tuition and fees for resident students in other academic units include $7,140.50 for students seeking a master’s degree in business administration; $10,268.50 for law students; $9,706.50 for pharmacy students; $16,981.50 for medical students; $15,568 for dentistry students, and $7,330.50 for professional doctoral students.

The annual housing and dining rate will increase by $450 to $4,735. The Board of Trustees approved housing rate increases of about 10.8 percent, or $300. The housing rates for Greg Page apartments will increase by $300 to $3,183. For those who purchase a basic meal plan, fees will increase by $150 to $1,650.

For a detailed accounting of all tuition, fees, housing and dining amounts, visit www.uky.edu/Trustees/agendas/apr04/.