Northern Kentucky University students plan ahead for the tuition increase in the fall of 2009.

NKU’s tuition is increasing 4 percent in the fall semester. The current annual out-of-state tuition rate is $11,952, but with the 4 percent increase the new rate will be $12,792.’ With this $840 difference, NKU students are thinking ahead on how to afford next year’s tuition.
Junior accounting major Kyle Lubbers said NKU’s low tuition had a big impact on his decision to attend NKU.

Even though NKU’s tuition is going up, the good news is that the increase is the lowest it has been ‘in years and years and years,’ according to NKU President James Votruba.
Votruba originally proposed a plan to increase the tuition per-credit-hour. However after thinking about the students, Votruba said the per credit hour increase is just too steep right now in these hard economic times.

‘This is not the right year to do per credit hour increase,’ Votruba said. But he added that the per credit hour increase is something he eventually wants to do.

‘I am definitely glad that he (Votruba) proposed the 4 percent increase rather than the per credit hour charge,’ Lubbers said. ‘The per-credit charge would have been a bigger increase, so President Votruba is thinking about the students in fact.’

With the tuition rising it will be difficult for students to afford next year’s payment for various reasons during these tough times.

Senior education major Lindsay Ward will still be able to attend NKU with the help of student loans. But, in the fall, Ward will be making sacrifices by picking up more hours at work and possibly taking on a second job.

‘For the first and only time I will be taking out a student loan,’ Ward said. ‘This makes me reconsider grad school at Northern.’

The increase will not only be difficult for students, but for their families also. Junior education major Sarah Guthier said the tuition increase will add stress on her parents as they aid Guthier and her sister, who will be in college next year, in paying their tuition.
Although tuition will be a challenge to pay, Guthier said that there are things NKU can do to help students with their tuition bills.

‘I think that an increase in employment on campus is a must, as I applied for over forty jobs on campus, not getting one,’ said Guthier. ‘I am on the dean’s list and have a good resume; the fact that I couldn’t find a job is a little disheartening.’

There seems to be a mutual agreement among the students at NKU to create more jobs for students on campus as they are in great demand.

Lubbers added, ‘NKU could maybe start some type of on-campus working program that could go towards tuition costs.’

Ward also agreed that NKU needs to seek more campus job opportunities for students in addition to making sure there is sufficient financial aid available and providing more scholarship opportunities.

As Votruba mentioned on Feb. 23 in the Student Government Association meeting that at the end of the day he is here for all of the NKU students during these challenging times.
‘I am a big fan of President Votruba and what he has done for this university,’ Lubbers said. ‘I believe that the last thing he wants to do is raise the tuition, but if that’s what he is doing then there is probably a good reason for him doing so.’ Lubbers went on to say, ‘I think that once the Bank of Kentucky Center keeps doing what it’s doing then NKU will start seeing more revenues coming from there along with the Student Union Center.’