Posted on Thu, May. 08, 2008

Committee agrees with staff, recommends lower tuition rates

By JOE BIESK

Associated Press Writer

FRANKFORT, Ky. --

A Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education committee has recommended that not all public universities get the tuition hikes they were looking for this year.

The committee, which is made up of members of the full council, backed a staff recommendation on Thursday that five of the state's public universities not be allowed to increase their students' tuition as proposed. A vote by the full council was expected on Friday.

"We've all been dealt a hand that's a little bit hard to deal with, and a little bit hard to play" Dan Flanagan, the council's vice chairman, said.

A decision by the council would come as Kentucky universities struggle to cope with increasing costs and decreased funding from the state. Kentucky lawmakers last month approved a two-year $19-billion state spending plan that included an overall cut to public higher education funding of about 3 percent.

University presidents have lobbied the council, asking for support for their proposed tuition hike increases. They say that without the additional money from tuition, other areas of university life will suffer.

But members of the Budget and Finance Policy Group said they were concerned with continued increases in tuition and college affordability.

Ryan Quarles, the student member on the panel, said he supported limiting tuition increases that require students to pay more. Quarles said it was hard for him, as a student, to notice tangible benefits from recent tuition increases.

Flanagan stressed during the meeting that the committee's action was a recommendation to the full panel, which would have its say Friday.

Still, university presidents who would be affected argued against the move.

The committee agreed with a staff recommendation that five of the state's public universities, including the community colleges, not be allowed to boost tuition as much as they're hoping.

Officials with the state community college system were seeking a tuition hike of 13 percent, but the staff recommendation called for just 5.2 percent. Eastern Kentucky University and Kentucky State University were each looking for 8 percent increases, but the panel recommendation calls for just 7 percent.

Meanwhile, Northern Kentucky University had called for a 9.7 percent boost, and Western Kentucky University wanted a 9 percent increase. The panel recommended increases of 8.5 percent and 8 percent respectively.

Panelists, however, approved Morehead State University's proposed 7.4 percent hike, Murray State University's 6.1 percent request and 9 percent increases at the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville.

Western Kentucky University President Gary Ransdell said the decision would hurt schools, and does not give them enough time to cope with additional funding cuts.

"We're appealing to this council for some logic and reason," Ransdell said.