Dear Members of the NKU Community,

The Kentucky Board of Student Body Presidents (BSBP) is sponsoring a “Higher Education Rally” in Frankfort at the Capitol on Thursday, February 27. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents and community friends will be joining us to send the message to our state legislators to “Invest in Education”.

We will be departing for the Capitol at 6:30 a.m. from the NKU University Center. Transportation will be provided for all attendees. We are scheduled to return to Northern Kentucky by 4:00 p.m. We will be making office visits to Northern Kentucky Legislators from 9-11:30 and will have an 11:30 press conference in the Capitol Rotunda to announce the “Invest in Education” campaign.

Kentucky’s students are not willing to accept double-digit percentage increases in their tuition because of a cut in state funding to postsecondary education. Students of this Commonwealth deserve accessible and affordable higher education. Postsecondary education is already under funded $146 million dollars according to Council on Postsecondary Education data comparing Kentucky institutions to benchmark institutions.

Northern Kentucky University is under funded $26 million dollars according to our Council on Postsecondary Education benchmark institutions. Additionally, NKU students are paying a disproportionate amount of their education versus state support compared to instate peer institutions because of our historical under funding. We deserve more funding from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Northern Kentucky University and the northern Kentucky region are the fasting growing, yet the least supported by state dollars. The students at NKU and the northern Kentucky region deserve better. It will be devastating to our University if the Commonwealth does not adequately fund NKU. Help us send the message to our legislators that this is not acceptable!

As a member of our community, you know that the President has already severely restricted many staff hires, travel, equipment and furniture purchases. For students, there is the possibility of significant tuition increases, potential for reduced student services, and possibility of a significant increase in class size. The state budget affects all of us.

If you are not able to attend the rally on February 27, you are still able to help us make a difference. The University maintains public contact information for the Kentucky Legislature. To access this information, simply go to www.nku.edu and click on “Contact Kentucky State Legislators”. Please e-mail them from your personal e-mail account and tell them to “Invest in Education” and Northern Kentucky University. The future of our Commonwealth depends on it.

You can also help by announcing this rally in your class or to any students you may come into contact with. Please encourage students and your peers to join us for this historic rally in Frankfort. Together, all of us can make a difference.

As a distinguished member of the NKU Community, we would be honored to have you attend the rally. You can RSVP by e-mailing sga@nku.edu or by calling 859.572.5190 by February 20.

Thank you in advance for your continued support of our University!