Another Kentucky university lays out millions in funding, job cuts

Northern Kentucky University will cut $5.8 million from three divisions, along with 11 filled jobs and 52 vacant positions, the latest state higher education institution to deal with a decade of state budget decreases and struggling state pension system.

The Northerner, NKU's student newspaper also reported that the Board of Regents approved a 3 percent tuition increase.

That financial picture is actually better than NKU officials originally predicted during the legislative session. At that point, they feared a $20 million fiscal hole and 150 lost positions.

However, a last-minute pension bill and an addition of some money to the state funding formula for higher education means the total deficit is closer to $9 million instead.

NKU has a higher rate of employees in the state pension system than most regional universities. The University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville have self-funded retirement systems.

State universities are beginning to prepare their budgets for the July 1 start of the fiscal year. That has included numerous cuts at Eastern Kentucky University, Western Kentucky University and Morehead State University. Last week, Morehead President Jay Morgan said the school was forced to lay off 16 staff, in addition to 10 faculty who chose a voluntary phased retirement system. The school has already made $1 million in cuts.

Since 2008, state legislators have cut $222 million from Kentucky's public universities.

This story was originally published May 21, 2018 at 12:11 PM with the headline "Another Kentucky university lays out millions in funding, job cuts."