The Journal article begins by using UK as an example of university overspending, reporting that the school upgraded its campus "to the tune of $805,000 a day for more than a decade," even as Kentucky continues to be ranked among the poorest states in the nation.
The piece draws a line from university spending to the student debt crisis, blaming a number of factors from a culture of unrelenting growth to the addition of more luxury amenities and insufficient oversight.
UK spokesman Jay Blanton says it’s important to consider how the new spending and projects have served the university’s overall mission.
"If we had not had the resources to invest in infrastructure in a prudent and appropriate way, we would not be able to compete for nearly $500 million in research every year, most of which goes toward solving Kentucky's challenges," Blanton says. "We would not be able to increase graduation rates from 60 to 70% over the last 10 years, making us among the top institutions in the country."
While the Journal article critiques UK’s tuition increases, Blanton says the roughly quarter of Kentucky undergraduate students who come from homes with a median household income under $25,000 a year pay zero in tuition and mandatory fees. More than 90% of all UK undergrads receive scholarships or aid that they don’t have to repay – greatly reducing the sticker price of college.
