Originally assembled for a presentation to Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, these slides provide a basic overview of independent higher education at Kentucky's small, private colleges and universities.

1. Kentucky’s Independent Colleges and Universities
The Association of Independent
Kentucky Colleges and Universities
Gary S. Cox, Ph.D
President
(502) 695-5007
gary@mail.aikcu.org
http://aikcu.org

2. Kentucky’s 20 independent colleges and
universities: The 10th component of Kentucky’s
postsecondary education system
• 20 independent colleges and universities. All accredited by the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Meet the same rigorous quality
standards as KY’s public colleges and universities.
• 30,000+ total students. 75% Kentucky residents.
• Diverse campuses, missions and student bodies. Provide critical choices and
access to postsecondary opportunities. Locations from Pikeville to Mayfield and
beyond via traditional campuses, extended sites, KCTCS and business
partnerships, distance learning, and study abroad.
• Committed to Double the Numbers with sector-wide 2020 goals. Only
independent college association in the country formally committed to statewide
postsecondary plan.
• Regional and local stewards.

3. 20 nonprofit, independent colleges and universities

4. Committed to affordability
• Average tuitions 1/3 less than national private college average and 1/4
less than Southern average. 2008-09 average tuition and fees = $17,256.
• Average annual tuition increases historically between 6-7%. (2009-10
tuition rates are still being announced, but average increase is under
5%.)
• Working aggressively to control costs through partnerships, greater
efficiencies, and innovations.
• Serving high need students. 40% of undergraduates qualify for Pell
Grants.
• Three-legged student financial aid partnership (State Aid + Federal Aid +
Institutional/Private Aid) is working. Institutions are largest source of aid
for students, at about $3 for every $1 provided by Kentucky.
• Timely graduation means quicker entry into workforce or graduate/
professional school; fewer tuition payments and less foregone income.
• Relatively low average debt at graduation.

5. Collaborating for cost containment
• Several campuses participating in AIKCU
Benefit Trust, self-funded health insurance
program.
• AIKCU has developed nearly 30 active
business partnerships to help hold down costs
for campuses - in everything from technology
to office products to recycling services to
instructional resources.

6. Kentucky’s investment in AIKCU students
is less than 4% of total state postsecondary
spending
3.9%
9.4%
AIKCU student aid
All other student aid
Other postsecondary spending
86.6%

7. Serve diverse students
• 30,000+ total students. 75% Kentucky residents.
Students from all 120 KY counties, most states,
108 countries.
• 1 in 5 is an adult, or non-traditional student
• Almost 9% are minorities (6.4% African-American)
- essentially the same as KY publics
• 40% receive federal Pell grants
• 31% receive CAP
• 58% receive KTG
• 51% receive KEES

8. Kentucky’s investment in financial aid
to AIKCU students, 2007-08
Maximum Average
Total AIKCU Total AIKCU
Program Award Eligibility Purpose AIKCU
Awards Receipts
(08-09) Award
• Financial need; tied to
College Access Pell Grant eligibility
$1900 • Assist low income students 5,611 $9,221,125 $1,643
Program (CAP) • At least half-time
student
• Assist low/moderate income
students attending independent
colleges
Kentucky Tuition • Financial need • Recognize cost-effective role
$3000 • Full-time independent independent colleges play in 10,540 $27,959,310 $2,653
Grant (KTG) college student educating Kentucky students by
providing up to 1/2 of per-student
subsidy received by public
institutions
Kentucky • Graduate of KY HS or
Educational GED program
• HS GPA of 2.5 or • Reward academic achievement
Excellence $2500 better • Retain Kentuckyʼs best students 9,370 $15,109,502 $1,613
Scholarship • ACT score of 15 or
(KEES) better
Source: KHEAA, 12-08

9. State financial aid to independent college
students, 1998-2008
State financial aid to AIKCU students through Kentucky’s “big three” aid programs
(CAP, KTG, and KEES) totaled $52.3 million in 2007-08, up from $11.9 million in
1997-98.
$60,000,000
$50,000,000
$40,000,000
$30,000,000
$20,000,000
$10,000,000
$0
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
KTG CAP KEES
Source: KHEAA

10. AIKCU institutions are the largest source of aid
for their students. Campuses provide about $3
in aid for every $1 provided by the state.
Federal Aid
State Aid
Institutional
Aid

11. Average Debt of Graduates, 2007
$17,000
$12,750
$8,500 $16,663 $16,963
$4,250
$0
AIKCU Public Universities
Source: ProjectOnStudentDebt.org. Debt data as reported by campuses to
Peterson’s Undergraduate Financial Aid and Undergraduate Databases.
17 of 20 AIKCU campuses and 7 of 8 Kentucky public university campuses
reporting data.

12. Return on Kentucky’s Investment
• 22% of Kentucky’s bachelor’s degrees.
• Campuses provide more than $1.1 billion in
educational facilities.
• 100,000 alumni in Kentucky generate $4 billion in
annual earnings and $416 million in state tax
revenues.
• Combined total annual economic impact of more
than $1.4 billion. Responsible for creating more
than 12,000 jobs in Kentucky.

13. Independent colleges promote timely graduation
Percent of first-time, full-time students who graduate in...
50
48.6
46.8 46.6
40 40.3
35.7
30
20 21.5
10
0
4 years 5 years 6 years
AIKCU KY Public Universities
Source: IPEDS, Fall 2000 GRS Revised Cohort of first-time, full-time bachelor’s degree seeking students

14. AIKCU Total Headcount Fall Enrollment, 1999-2007
30,000
4,296
3,820 4,014
3,595
2,778 3,157
2,459 24,745
22,500 2,226
2,391
22,305 22,474 22,375 22,556 23,088 23,426
20,980 21,445
15,000
7,500
0
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Undergraduate Graduate/Professional
Source: CPE Comprehensive Database

15. AIKCU Bachelor’s Degrees, 2000-2008
4,200
4,191
3,902 3,881
3,779 3,801
3,575 3,555
3,453
3,150 3,271
2,100
1,050
0
99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08
AIKCU enrolls about 19% of KY’s bachelor’s degree seeking students and
produces 22% of bachelor’s degrees.
Source: CPE Comprehensive Database

16. Growth in transfer from KCTCS to AIKCU
1,100
1,093
926 938
825
550 583
514
402
358 351 365
275
0
99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08
Source: CPE Comprehensive Database

17. Transfer to AIKCU institutions as percentage of
total KCTCS transfers
30.0
25.6
22.5
20.9 20.9
15.0
13.3 13.9
10.3 10.1 10.6
9.4
7.5
0
99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05 05-06 06-07 07-08
Source: CPE Comprehensive Database