Kentucky's universities brace for 'bigger cuts than they’ve ever seen' - Allison Ross, Louisville Courier Journal

Already feeling strapped from a decade of funding cuts, Kentucky's public universities are bracing for more pain as lawmakers try to fill an estimated $1 billion hole in the budget. Some have begun raising concerns that deeper cuts at the state's eight universities and its system of community and technical colleges could cause tuition hikes or decreases in staff, support services or programs. "We're entering the budget session with institutions that already have dealt with round after round of budget cuts," said Ashley Spalding, a research and policy associate with the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy. "With it being such a tight budget, it's possible that higher education will be on the chopping block along with other important services." Since 2008, Kentucky's public postsecondary system has seen the legislature reduce per-student funding by 26.4 percent, or $2,832 per student, according to a recent study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/education/2017/12/21/kentuckys-universities-brace-bigger-cuts/892176001/