By Kylie Noltemeyer & Olivia Krauth–

President James Ramsey visited Frankfort this past Thursday to warn lawmakers of the potential side effects of their proposed 2.5 percent budget cuts. While nothing is set in stone, Ramsey said that there would be no way to avoid tuition increases and layoffs if the budget passes in April.

“We’ll continue to do everything we can to move forward, but with the proposed cuts, tuition is going to go up more than we would like for it to go up,” Ramsey said. “We’ll continue to have reductions in employment, and the worst case scenario would be layoffs.”

Ramsey did not say how much he speculates the tuition increase could be.

If the tuition increases do take place, students will not be happy. Here is how some students reacted to the news:

“I feel like if college is so important, why do they keep increasing tuition and making it harder for everyone who wants to get an education to be able to pay for it?” -Avery Davenport, sophomore biology major.

“Are they going to increase scholarship opportunities to compensate then? Because that is what I would be expecting.” -Carmen Keehn, freshman nursing major.

“If they are going to increase tuition, that should also mean they have to offer better professors and facilities for us. I think as long as they do that, it’s fine.” -August Schoenbaechler, sophomore psychology major.

For more information on the proposed budget cuts, check out our story at Louisvillecardinal.com/2014/02/proposed-ky-budget-hits-hard/

The Louisville Cardinal file photo