In an email sent to the campus community on Friday afternoon, Northern Kentucky University President Cady Short-Thompson announced that the university has avoided budget cuts following the conclusion of the Kentucky General Assembly’s biennial budget session.

While earlier drafts of the state budget proposed a 7% reduction in operating funds for public universities, the final version passed by the General Assembly restores NKU’s operating funds to current levels.

“While the budget is not yet final… the version passed on the final day of the session reflects meaningful progress for NKU,” Short-Thompson stated, noting that the bill now sits on the desk of Governor Andy Beshear awaiting his signature or veto.

The email listed the following major points regarding the budget’s impact on NKU:

• Restoration of NKU’s operating funds to current levels
• Performance funding at $115 million statewide
• Kentucky Center for Mathematics funding at approximately $1.3 million in each fiscal year
• Support for the property and casualty insurance fund at approximately $1.37 million in each fiscal year
• Investment in the Votruba Young Scholars Academy totaling $5.4 million over the biennium
• Asset preservation funding of $10 million in FY27 and $6.9 million in FY28

Despite the restoration of funds, Short-Thompson struck a note of caution, describing the FY27 budget as “tight.” The university is still awaiting performance funding allocations before the cabinet finalizes the university’s internal budget for the June 10 Board of Regents meeting.

The president credited the campus community for their advocacy during the “constrained” budget cycle and thanked legislators for their consideration of the university’s mission.