By Kyeland Jackson —
President James Ramsey revealed plans for next year’s budget, and a five percent tuition increase is at the top of the list.
Blasting an email to faculty and students, Ramsey said talks with U of L Board of Trsutees chair Larry Benz have been productive, and produced three tentative budget proposals for a five to 2.5 percent tuition increase. Ramsey wrote the five percent tuition increase, would the be most “prudent and responsible.”
“We will raise tuition by five percent,” Ramsey said in the email. “We will refund, essentially freezing, the entire five percent tuition increase to any undergraduate student who receives 30 credit hours in an academic year and remains in good academic standing. We call this new program ‘Credit for Credits.'”
The proposal aims aims to give incentive to full time students, faculty and staff, refunding students through the program and increasing faculty and staff salaries. Ramsey estimates the lowest proposed tuition increase, 2.5 percent, would result in 50 layoffs across the university.
Two weeks ago, the finance committee of the board of trustees struck down the proposal. The unprecedented move sparked hot debate, with members like trustee Craig Greenberg calling the administration “masters of obfuscation,” and trustee Robert Hughes tweeting “no budget = total dysfunction.”
The budget will be proposed to the board June 21. While a budget must be adopted by July 1, the board cannot legally approve the budget until Governor Matt Bevin replaces several members who have resigned in the past six months. Bevin told The Cardinal May 5 the appointments would be made “after Derby.”
As of last week, calls to his office revealed no nominations are forthcoming.
