State group to vote on 5 percent tuition cap

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By Austin Schmitt

UK will only be allowed to raise tuition 5 percent for the 2009-2010 school year, if a recommendation from the state Council on Postsecondary Education passes.

Council members will vote on the CPE’s tuition recommendation during their meeting on March 6.

The 5 percent tuition cap is only a ceiling on how high research universities in Kentucky, like UK, can raise tuition, said Sue Patrick, CPE communications director.

The tuition cap recommendations are an appropriate response to college education affordability concerns, UK President Lee Todd said in a statement.

“Everyone in Kentucky higher education and state government is working hard to keep college education affordable while helping our institutions to advance,” Todd said.  “The Council staff’s proposed tuition rate ceilings are an appropriate response to concerns about affordability while reflecting the differences among the postsecondary institutions in our missions and mandates. If the full Council approves the ceilings, we will recommend to our Board of Trustees tuition rates in line with them.”

The tuition cap recommendation was a collaborative effort across many groups, Patrick said.

“We’ve had extensive discussions with campus presidents, chief budget officers, the governor’s staff, legislative leaders, the campus presidents and student government leaders,” Patrick said.

When determining their recommendation, the Council wanted to develop a balance between student concerns and academic quality of institutions, Patrick said.

“The tuition recommendation reflects a genuine concern for our students and families balanced with the need to preserve academic quality, faculty and programming at our campuses,” Patrick said.  “And 5 percent for the research institutions was something (the Council) felt could maintain academic quality.”

If the CPE approves the tuition cap on March 6, Todd will recommend tuition rates at the next Board of Trustees meeting on March 10.