Kentucky’s students deserve greater accountability, stability for college tuition

I never thought a global pandemic would be the most significant challenge Americans would be facing when I first announced my candidacy for State Representative in early 2019. I remember the heartbreak as I saw many in my community lined up at the Hillsboro Food Pantry to ensure their kids had food. Kentucky is moving forward, and our economy is rebounding. Many, however, are still grappling with the countless hardships.

Students, faculty, and my constituents have pointed to two fundamental issues they faced with their universities throughout the pandemic: the overwhelming increase in tuition and lacking meaningful representation at our public institutions. Many families struggled to pay the cost of college. As Kentuckians used their last dime to drive miles only to stand for hours in the unemployment line, most of our taxpayer-funded universities raised the cost of tuition for families and increased salaries for their top administrators.

I have filed House Bill 452, the Kentucky Student Tuition Protection & Accountability Act, to address the concerns at our public universities. HB 452 will provide consistency for students by creating a lock for tuition and mandatory fees, preventing administrations from increasing the rate of tuition at all taxpayer-funded, public four-year institutions for all in-state students, and it will place more Kentuckians on the boards at our public universities.

The smallest percentage change each year creates an environment of financial uncertainty and could raise an unscalable wall for Kentucky students to pursue a college degree. HB452’s requirement to keep tuition consistent for all four-year students will ensure scholarships and grants, such as KEES money, do not depreciate each due to unexpected tuition increases.

Additionally, the legislation will create incentives for our students to stay in Kentucky, provide students a better understanding of the cost of higher education, and provide Kentucky families with more confidence in their ability to send their children to school. Kentucky’s private colleges have already launched similar initiatives such as at Transylvania University in 2017. Other states in the U.S. have also passed similar measures, Ohio in 2019 and North Carolina in 2016.

Tuition is determined partly by the rising costs to keep administrators on campus. We should keep our campuses competitive by making them attractive to the top administrators in the county, but the decisions regarding tuition and salary increases are often made with only one student representative or faculty member against numerous political appointments. Top-level administrators across Kentucky received large raises in salary. The new Dean of Ogden College at WKU jumped from $158,652 to $250,000. UK president Eli Capilouto who received a raise of $200,000, becoming the highest-paid president in the SEC during the pandemic.

In raising salaries, especially during a pandemic, our public universities took a shockingly, out of touch, and tone-deaf position against the people of the Commonwealth. HB452 will increase the number of student representatives on the boards for public universities, including, for the first time, a requirement for a graduate student representative. HB452 will also require public universities that seek to raise tuition above 5% to receive approval from the General Assembly. HB452 will ensure the voice of Kentuckians are better represented in the decision-making processes at our universities.

Kentucky’s public universities have generally worked to increase scholarships and financial aid, but at a rate that has always fallen well below the rate of tuition and fees increases. No doubt our universities tried to help our students during the pandemic. While these efforts are appreciated, they simply do not go far enough. No amount of funding or increase in scholarships will matter if we constantly move the goalposts year after year.

Our public institutions made it harder during the pandemic for Kentucky students to envision a better tomorrow. Kentucky families need HB452 for our students to focus on building a better future. I promised to build opportunities for the people I am privileged to serve. Investing in education is one of the most impactful decisions we can make for the future of our children. The Kentucky Student Tuition Protection and Accountability Act keeps that promise.

William Lawrence, a Republican from Maysville, represents House District 70.