Western Kentucky University proposes a 2% increase in tuition to alleviate budget shortfall

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.-To help alleviate for budget shortfalls, Western Kentucky University officials are discussing a 2% tuition hike.

The increase is being recommended by the budget executive committee. No action has been taken on this at this time.

According to WKU’s director of media relations Bob Skipper, this shortfall is coming from a combination of factors. These include expenses that tend to increase each year. Increases in utilities and retirement are just a few examples.

Even if the tuition hike goes through, Skipper said Western Kentucky University still has a wide variety of resources, offering more for a lower price than other schools.

“They can get a very high-quality educational experience here for less than they can spend a lot of other places. They really need to look at the value. Are they getting what they want, and what it’ll be worth to them over their lifetime? We think we offer a very valuable commodity in our educational experience on our campus,” Skipper said.

For WKU to go through with the 2% raise, the council on post-secondary education must first set tuition parameters for state schools.