The tuition bump will see undergraduate students paying just over $200 more in the coming Fall semester. The guaranteed employee raise—coming in at a minimum of at least $750—represents the 12th raise in the last 13 years.
UK President Eli Capilouto has said crafting a plan in this environment is difficult.
"This is a challenging time in which to craft a budget," he noted. "Health care costs are rapidly increasing. Inflation remains an obstacle. And there is the uncertainty of budget decisions in Washington still unfolding even as we must finalize our plans and projections for the coming year."
With sizeable amounts of research funding in limbo as Trump administration cuts are hashed out in court, UK is projecting a 10 percent decline, in what the school calls a "prudent approach" in the uncertain funding climate. Still, the UK anticipates expects to have hit a record level of research funding and expenditures in the fiscal year that's coming to a close at the end of June.
In the coming year, the university is expanding parental leave and elder care leave—from two weeks to four weeks for the former and from one week to two weeks for the latter.
The school is pledging to stick close to its mission as it faces increased scrutiny and questions surrounding funding.