PROGRAM NARRATIVE/DOCUMENTATION RECORD

FORM B-4

Kentucky State University is requesting $6,230,500 in additional General Fund support in FY 2016-2017 and $6,030,500 in FY 2017-2018.

This request supports a number of initiatives designed to address structural problems with the University's funding. These initiatives will:

  • Provide funding for initiatives focused on student retention and recruitment.
  • Provide funding to improve academic quality.
  • Provide the University with the full match of the federal funds provided for Land Grant Research programs and Land Grant Extension programs as required under Section 1449 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977.

The University has worked closely with the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education to structure this request. The CPE has categorized the request for the University as follows:

  • Special Initiative Funding – Recruitment and Retention (Non-Recurring) ○ $2,733,900 in FY 2016-2017 and $1,767,800 in FY 2017-2018
  • Special Initiative Funding – Land Grant Match (Recurring) ○ $2,730,500 in both years of the 2016-2018 fiscal biennium
  • Performance Funding (Recurring if performance targets are met) ○ $766,100 in FY 2016-2017 and $1,532,200 in FY 2017-2018

Current Environment

Over the past four years, Kentucky State University has experienced a steep decline in both its student headcount and full-time equivalent (FTE) student enrollment. Between fall semesters 2010 and 2014, KSU's student headcount enrollment decreased by 956 students, or 33.5 percent, and its FTE student enrollment decreased by 760 students, or 32.4 percent. About two-thirds of this decline was caused when over 600 students were not allowed to continue enrollment due to nonpayment of bills, but other factors contributed, as well.

The loss in student enrollment resulted in marked declines in both gross billable tuition and fee revenue and total public funds during this period. In fact, between fiscal years 2010-11 and 2014-15, KSU's gross billable tuition and fee revenue decreased by $6.7 million, or 29.2 percent, and when combined with cuts in state funding of about $2.5 million over this same period, the university's total public funds revenue decreased by $9.2 million, or 18.8 percent

33