Forum to address tuition and fees

Students will have a chance to voice their questions and concerns about tuition today in an open forum.

The General Assembly cut higher education funding by a total of 6 percent. To meet that cut, President Lee Todd has recommended no faculty and staff raises and a tuition increase of 9 percent, the same increase as last year.

Provost Kumble Subbaswamy and Angie Martin, vice president for budget, policy and planning, will discuss next year’s tuition rates and fees in Worsham Theater in the Student Center at 12:30 p.m.

College of Ag hosts service day

The College of Agriculture is hosting a community service project tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event, AG 180°, is modeled after the campus service event FUSION in the fall semester.

Students will go out in groups to different areas of the community. They can choose where they want to spend their day of service when they fill out an application.

Applications are available in room 112 of Erickson Hall or room N-6 of the Agriculture North Building. Free t-shirts and lunch will be provided to all participants.

Band Jam

Alpha Gamma Delta and FarmHouse Fraternity are hosting “Band Jam!” tonight at 6 at Haggin Field.

The annual philanthropy event features a battle of the bands and an all-you-can-eat cookout for $5. Proceeds will benefit the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation and the American Heart Association.

Energy deal between colleges announced

President Lee Todd and three other university presidents announced they will collaborate to “energize Kentucky” in a news conference yesterday morning.

The goal of the deal between UK, the University of Louisville, Berea College and Centre College would be to promote a dialogue among universities and their communities. There will be three conferences on the topic.

The first of three conferences would be in June. The second, in September, would have keynote speaker Thomas Friedman, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and author of “The World is Flat.” The final conference will focus on developing a curriculum for K-12 and postsecondary students.

Todd was not specific on how UK’s energy policy would change because of the deal, but he said UK still needs to talk about its energy sources.

“I don’t have to remind too many of you – particularly those that drove in from out of town today – that gas is $3.50 a gallon,” Todd said. “There has never been a better time for us to spark an energy dialogue.”