Legislation has been introduced in the Kentucky General Assembly that would require the state’s public four-year institutions to set the rates for tuition and mandatory fees for each entering class and freeze those rates for four years for all in-state students.
Rep. William Lawrence, R-Maysville, has filed House Bill 452, the Kentucky Student Tuition Protection and Accountability Act, which he says will address the overwhelming rising rate of college tuition and its impact on Kentucky families.
“The cost of higher education is growing at an alarming rate. Most public universities have raised tuition over 105 percent since 2005 and there seems to be no end in sight,” he said. “The rising rates of tuition set by an unelected board mostly appointed by the Governor, has created an environment of financial uncertainty. We cannot allow our public universities to cost the next generation of Kentuckians their futures.”
Kentucky’s public universities have worked to increase scholarships and financial aid, Lawrence noted, but at a rate that has always fallen well below the rate of tuition and fees increases. He says his bill will ensure scholarships and grants, such as KEES money, and student’s ability to afford college do not depreciate each year due to unexpected tuition increases.
He says he believes HB 452’s tuition accountability measures will create incentives for our students to stay in Kentucky, provide our students a better understanding of the cost of higher education, and allow Kentucky families to have more confidence in their ability to send their children to college.
According to Lawrence, the bill will also provide better accountability and representation, by increasing the number of student representatives on the public university boards, including a first-time requirement for institutions to have a graduate student representative.
Under the bill, public universities that seek to raise tuition above 5% would have to receive approval from the General Assembly. Other states in the U.S. have passed similar measures, including Ohio in 2019 and North Carolina in 2016.
“Investing in education is one of the most impactful decisions we can make for the future success of our children,” Lawrence stated. “HB 452 will ensure Kentucky families will have the ability to better budget for their children’s education, and it fosters the security our students need to fully focus on building a better future.
He added, “I promised to build opportunities for the people I am privileged to serve. The Kentucky Student Tuition Protection and Accountability Act keeps that promise, by requiring our taxpayer-funded universities to be more transparent and consistent about the costs of education.”
The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee, as it was introduced on Thursday and the General Assembly cancelled its Friday session, due to the ice storm.
(Photo: State Rep. William Lawrence, R-Maysville, courtesy of Kentucky New Era))
By Tom Latek, Kentucky Today
