Yesterday, February 25, AIKCU President Gary Cox, Centre College President John Roush and St. Catharine College President Bill Huston testified before the Kentucky House Budget Review Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education. They had a very productive conversation with subcommittee members about the important roles that independent colleges play in Kentucky, the importance of student financial aid, and the ways that private colleges innovate and focus on serving students in today’s difficult fiscal environment.

One important point made during yesterday’s testimony is that the majority of Kentucky’s independent colleges do not have large endowments. Berea College is an exception in that they have a fairly substantial endowment that allows them to carry out their mission of providing an education for low income students without charging tuition. (Berea is also grappling with with very significant challenges because of the drop in that endowment.)

This chart taken from yesterday’s presentation, clearly illustrates that independent colleges in Kentucky are very tuition-driven institutions.