Students can expect their wallets to feel lighter as tuition rates increase in the upcoming 2007-2008 school year.
Northern Kentucky University President James Votruba discussed tuition rates and budget goals Feb. 12 at the Student Government Association meeting. The undergraduate residential tuition rate will rise 9.2 percent, or $21 per credit hour. The undergraduate non-residential tuition percent rate will go up $24 per credit hour.
The increase will bring tuition to $248 per credit hour for undergraduate residential students and $449 per credit hour for undergraduate non-residential students.
NKU is 64 percent tuition dependent, which means the university receives only 34 percent of its funding from the state.
“We pay a greater proportion of tuition in comparison to other universities,” Votruba said.
Also during the meeting, Votruba communicated budget goals to SGA, which includes protecting small class sizes, hiring more full-time faculty, increasing need-based financial aid, expanding in study abroad financing and student participation, increasing campus minimum wage, emphasizing campus wellness and strengthening diversity.
Votruba then suggested ways to implement the goals. First, he emphasized bringing more international students on campus and incorporating more global information into the curriculum. Secondly, he suggested using work as a way of getting students involved on campus. Votruba said that because many students work more than 20 hours per week, employment should be used as a retention strategy and a way to engage students on campus.
As a final point, Votruba said the A. D. Albright Health Center will eventually be rebuilt in an effort to promote wellness. However, because tuition must be raised in order to fund a new wellness center, Votruba said the center must take its place “in the queue.”