On June 10, the Board of Regents approved a 2% tuition increase in a 9-1 vote.
Junior Biology student Autumn Jouett, said this makes her “nervous about future raises and confused about the increase.”
Senior Spanish student Aiden Stanton said he/she believes students should be able to attend school without worrying about paying more each school year.
What surprises Stanton is that “at least one full college year is designated to classes we have to take that [have] nothing to do with our major.”
“This puts more work on students with the workload we receive, as well as working outside of school to pay for these classes we don’t need,” Stanton said.
As a student journalist entering my final year at NKU, I’m really frustrated that NKU has increased tuition once again while students like me are struggling to pay as it is. .
Former Student representative of the Board of Regents and Student Government Association (SGA) president Collin Jarrell sided with students. Jarrell was the only member of the Board of Regents to vote against the increase, saying it , “along with the approved increases in housing, dining, and parking costs for next year may provide additional revenue for the university, but placing so much burden on the backs of students may end up driving enrollment down even more.”
This is not the first time NKU has made the hard decision to increase tuition.
Over the past 10 years, The Northerner has reported tuition being increased four times.
On June 12, 2024, there was a 2% increase, which was made, “to find ourselves back in a financially stable position only two years after facing substantial post-COVID deficits,” said then-Board Chair Rich Boehne.
LINKnky reported that tuition was increased by $96 per semester for full-time undergraduate Kentucky residents, “from $5,256 per semester to $5,352 per semester.”
On June 15, 2023, there was a 3% increase. Tuition was raised by $152 for full-time undergraduate students in Kentucky, Indiana and select Ohio counties from $5,104 to $5,256. For international and non-resident students, the new tuition was calculated at $10,384 per semester.
That decision was made due to “a projected drop of between 66 to 86 domestic students and 104 international students in enrollment numbers for the fall semester compared to the previous academic year,” according to Assistant Vice President for Enrollment & Student Success Ryan Padgett, the Northerner reported at the time.On April 28, 2017, there was a 4% increase of $180 per semester.
“The rate increase coupled with a comprehensive student aid program will maintain student affordability while providing vital revenue to the university,” said then-Board of Regents secretary Virginia G. Fox.
On April 27, 2016, there was a 3% increase of $10.92 per credit hour or $131.03 in a full-time semester rate for resident students.
For non-resident students, tuition increased by $21.84 per credit hour or $262.08 in a full-time semester rate.
This increase was made because of “decreased state funding and the increase in the university contribution to the Kentucky Employees Retirement System (KERS),” said then-Chief Financial Officer of NKU, Mike Hales.
NKU has a long history of increasing tuition “by a small amount,” but that small amount still adds up for students who already struggle to pay tuition, many of whom rely on part-time or full-time jobs to earn a degree.
Other students and I provide caution towards NKU about increasing tuition by a small amount so consistently, as small amounts can create a bigger impact over time.