NEWS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS)
Date: March 13, 2009
Heather Baber, 859-256-3216, heather.baber@kctcs.edu
KCTCS Board of Regents Approves Tuition Increase for 2009-10
Eliminates Tenure for faculty hired after July 1
VERSAILLES, Ky. (March 13, 2009) - The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) Board of Regents approved a $4 per credit hour increase in tuition for the 2009-10 academic year during their quarterly meeting today. The tuition ceiling for all public postsecondary institutions was established by the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) last week during their quarterly meeting.
"We applaud the thoughtful process that was employed this year by CPE to establish the recommendations," said KCTCS President Michael B. McCall. "These are extremely difficult economic times not only for public higher education institutions but for all Kentuckians and it is important that college tuition remains affordable."
KCTCS tuition will slightly increase from $121 to $125 per credit hour for in-state students and from $390 to $425 per credit hour for most out-of-state students.
The KCTCS budget has been reduced seven times for a total of $35.9 million since 2001. Reductions in KCTCS' 2008-09 state appropriation resulted in no salary increases for faculty and staff, 240 fewer full-time and part-time positions, a decrease in programs and services, and for the first time in the system's ten-year history, a 3.1 percent decline in 2008 fall enrollment.
"KCTCS is doing what the majority of households across that state are doing...we are tightening our belts and focusing our resources on core programs and services that have the most impact on our students and communities," said KCTCS Board of Regents Chair Richard A. Bean. "As the largest provider of postsecondary education and workforce training in the state, KCTCS remains committed to providing Kentuckians with a low-cost, quality education right in their own community."
The additional tuition revenue for 2009-10 generated by tuition rate growth ($5.6 million) will be available to the KCTCS Board of Regents in developing the 2009-10 operating budget. This additional revenue is sufficient to fund fixed cost increases in employee benefits, utilities and property insurance cost increases and the cost of faculty promotions.
The Board of Regents also approved a change in the employment status categories and retirement benefits for KCTCS faculty and staff. The approved policy regarding employment status reduces the employment categories from seven to two by primarily eliminating tenure for faculty and continuing employment status for staff for appointments effective on or after July 1, 2009. All future KCTCS employees will be either hired on a contract or "at will' basis.
"This decision will allow KCTCS to expand statewide economic growth by providing responsive and flexible workforce training solutions for the state's businesses and industries," said Bean. "KCTCS faculty will continue to have the same rights and privileges afforded to faculty in other higher education institutions through existing organizational policies regarding academic freedom, promotion, shared governance and due process."
A change to the employee retirement policy was also approved that eliminates post-retirement health insurance benefits and requires a five year vesting period for an employee to be eligible to receive accrued benefits from employer contributions to 403 (b) plans for those appointed on or after July 1, 2009. This change will result in a projected ten-year savings of more than $60 million.
"Significant budget reductions for KCTCS from 2001-02 to the present put significant pressure on our human resource expenses because they represent the majority of the KCTCS budget," said Bean. "KCTCS needs the ability to manage these expenditures, including the ability to eliminate programs that are not cost effective or consistent with KCTCS goals."
In other business, the board approved:
- Ratification of three new credit certificate programs:
- 3D Modeling Specialist at Bowling Green Technical College;
- African American Studies at Jefferson Community and Technical College; and
- Health Physics Technician I at West Kentucky Community and Technical College.
- 1,796 candidates for graduation who applied for academic credentials (certificates, diplomas or associate degrees) between October 14, 2008 and January 6, 2009.
The credentials include:
- 1,077 candidates for certificates;
- 144 candidates for diplomas; and
- 575 candidates for associate degrees.
The next meeting of the KCTCS Board of Regents will be June 11, 2009 at the KCTCS system office, Versailles, Kentucky.
For most Kentuckians, higher education begins at KCTCS. Our statewide system of 16 colleges and 65 campuses provides citizens throughout the Commonwealth with a quality education that is both accessible and affordable.