By Joseph Lyell —

President Neeli Bendapudi said trustees are considering increasing tuition 4 percent and slashing spending 5 percent across all university departments.

The cuts, announced in an email blast, come after a year of financial hardships.

Kentucky’s 2018 budget cut appropriations for U of L by 6.25 percent. and pledged donations to the university’s endowment reached only 3,000 in the third quarter of 2018, compared to $2.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2015, before donations dropped.

Bendapudi said the cut is a temporary measure.

“We know we simply cannot cut our way to success. We are developing a long-term strategy that will include enrollment increases, significant philanthropic support, entrepreneurial efforts and operational efficiencies,” she said in the email.

Long term changes will be made with students in mind, Bendapudi said.

She said the proposed tuition increase will enable the university to make small investments to improve students’ experience and protect existing services.

“Our hope is to keep tuition increases low in the coming years,” Bendapudi said.

Trustees will vote on the 2018-19 budget June 20.

File Photo / The Louisville Cardinal