NKU tuition for Kentucky residents, who are 71 percent of the school’s undergraduates, currently is $2,976 a semester, or $248 a semester hour. Tuition will increase by different amounts for Ohio and Indiana residents.

NKU officials said they need the increase because of insufficient funding from the state. The increase, which will add at least $288 a semester for a full-time student, or $24 a credit hour, is necessary because of about $3 million in state budget cuts next year and the costs of operating the new student union and the Bank of Kentucky Center after they open this summer, NKU President James Votruba said.

On a per-student basis, NKU receives less money than any other public university in Kentucky, including the community- and technical-college system.

Northern Kentucky University is growing at a tremendous rate with enrollment and the popularity of several of it’s programs. However, with less monetary support from the State of Kentucky, NKU will be forced to cut back on several programs, staffing levels, and even raise tuition, again.

This all comes after Governor Steve Beshear announced that Kentucky is facing a huge budget deficit and that there would be lots of budget cuts throughout the state.

You can read the full budget address by Governor Beshear on the NKY.com site.