Regents Decide: Fall 2011 tuition increases by only three percent for Kennesaw State students
University also receives $18 million in legislative funding to construct Education Building…
Georgia (Apr 20, 2011) —
KENNESAW, Ga. (April 19, 2011) — Tuition for Kennesaw State University students will increase by only three percent
for the 2011-2012 academic year – much lower than anticipated – based on a vote by
the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia at its monthly meeting today.
The increase impacts all 35 colleges and universities within the USG.
KSU students will pay an additional $69 in the upcoming academic year, for a total
of $2,367 per semester, based on full-time enrollment of 15 credit hours. The University
System of Georgia’s special institutional fee, implemented two years ago in the midst
of state budget cuts to preserve academic quality and access, also will increase from
$165 to $265 per semester.
Tuition, however, will not increase for students on the USG’s guaranteed tuition plan,
also known as “Fixed for Four.”
“The Board of Regents recognizes the hardship that today’s economic times have had
on students and their families, and they have responded with as fair a tuition increase
as possible,” said KSU President Daniel S. Papp. “This measured rise in tuition and
fees will enable KSU and all of Georgia’s colleges and universities to continue meeting
the academic needs of our students while maintaining access and affordability.”
Today’s tuition and fees decisions were just one part of today’s agenda for the Board
of Regents regarding the University System’s Fiscal Year 2012 budget. According to
the regents, FY12 state appropriations to the University System are $1.74 billion,
reflecting a reduction of 10.7 percent – a loss of $208 million – from FY11 appropriations.
In addition, for the first time, USG institutions will not receive state funding for
enrollment growth as part of the funding formula used by the state to fund the Board
of Regents. The result of that decision is that $177 million in FY12 funding was
not part of the final budget that was allotted to the Board of Regents by the General
Assembly. The absence of funds for enrollment growth, plus the USG’s share of $146
million of the state’s budget reductions, and the elimination of $23 million in federal
stimulus funding means the University System’s 35 colleges and universities must absorb
a $346 million funding shortfall in FY12.
At its April meeting, the BOR also approved $18 million in bonds to fund the construction
of a $20.3 million addition to KSU’s Bagwell College of Education. This 82,900-square-foot
education classroom facility will enable KSU to strengthen its leadership role in
the preparation of P-12 teachers and educational leaders and accommodate future expansion
of the Bagwell College due to rapid enrollment growth. Since 2007, the number of doctoral
candidates enrolled in the college has doubled, and undergraduate and graduate student
enrollment have increased by 64 percent.
The classroom addition project is included in the Board of Regents’ capital construction
budget that totals $180.9 million, and is subject to the final approval of Gov. Nathan
Deal.
In other actions, the Board of Regents also approved three new degree programs for
Kennesaw State University, one at the undergraduate level, and two at the master’s
degree level.
Additional information on the three new degree programs may be accessed at:
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Kennesaw State University is the third-largest university in Georgia, offering nearly
70 graduate and undergraduate degrees, including doctorates in education, business
and nursing and a new Ph.D. in international conflict management. A member of the
35-unit University System of Georgia, Kennesaw State is a comprehensive, residential
institution with a growing student population of more than 23,400 from 142 countries.
A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its nearly 43,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
