June 27, 2008
Bowling
Green, Ky. - The Western Kentucky University Board of Regents today approved a $329,557,000 budget for 2008-09. The Board also approved a 2008-09 tuition schedule that revises its previous recommendation for in-state undergraduate tuition from a 9 percent increase to 8 percent.
“This has been a difficult and challenging process,” WKU President Gary Ransdell said. WKU’s base budget was reduced by $5 million to reflect a 6 percent reduction in state funding.
“None of the 6 percent budget reduction was offset by tuition,” Dr. Ransdell said. “The increase in tuition will be used to help cover unavoidable cost increases and to continue limited funding for strategic initiatives such as Honors College, Study Abroad programs, and a continued commitment to regional campuses in Owensboro and Hardin County, all totaling more than $8.8 million,” he said.
The 2008-09 budget includes a $500 increase in base salary for all full-time employees. Dr. Ransdell said university administration elected to propose the $500 for each employee instead of a 1 percent increase because “we had such limited capacity. We thought this would have a bigger impact on those at the lower end of the salary pool.”
“It is disappointing that we cannot provide more,” he said.
Other budget and tuition highlights include:
- An increase in total budget of 4.7 percent from 2007-08.
- Tuition and fees revenue of $131.8 million, or 40 percent of the total budget. Contributing factors include enrollment growth in online and contract learning, and tuition increases of 8 percent for resident students and 10.5 percent for non-resident students.
- State appropriations of $82.3 million, or 25 percent of the total budget.
- Resident undergraduate tuition will be $3,465 per semester for 2008-09 while nonresident undergraduate tuition will be $8,544.
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
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