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The President's ReportIssue 4 September 2009

Taking the Sticker Shock 
Out of the College Price Tag

To "Double the Numbers" of bachelor degree holders in Kentucky by 2020, the 
University of Louisville is working to make college a reality for every student. The full 
(direct) price that the typical UofL undergraduate should pay for his or her education 
each year is $15,546. This amount includes average tuition, housing, books, supplies 
and meal plans. But due to UofL's efforts to make college more affordable through 
grants and scholarships, along with the Kentucky KEES program, the actual average 
price they pay is $8,246*--a savings of more than $7,000 per year. That's a super value. 

Sometimes the sticker price isn't what you actually pay

The 2009-10 estimate of the full direct 
cost includes average tuition, room, books, supplies and meal plans for the typical UofL undergraduate. Price paid reflects 
deductions for Kentucky KEES awards and UofL scholarships and grants.

*Source: UofL Institutional Research and Planning and UofL Office of Financial Aid

Governor Beshear "Listens Up" On Campus

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear kicked off this year's Listen Up Legislators series with a talk Sept. 16. "Education--long-term--has to be where our priorities are," he told a group of students, faculty and staff in his presentation on Belknap Campus. 

Beshear's talk was the first in the six-part series, designed to connect UofL students with policymakers and educators who have a direct impact on higher education's future. The series is sponsored by the UofL Student Government Association.

O.J. Oleka presents Gov. Beshear with U of L gear

SGA President O.J. Oleka presents Gov. Steve Beshear with UofL gear.


A Message from Dr. Ramsey

Dear Kentucky Policymaker,
For many students and their families, figuring out how to pay for college can be daunting. At first glance the price tag can leave anyone with sticker shock. But just as when you're looking at the sticker price of a new car, the real price you pay can come as a huge relief.

At UofL we are helping college become a reality for all Kentuckians who want to earn a degree by showing them how to access every possible dollar to offset the cost and by assisting through scholarships and grants of our own. In 2009-10, over $41.3 million of UofL's general fund is earmarked for financial aid. Our Cardinal Covenant program, which makes college attainable 
for children of Kentucky families living at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level, has helped 386 deserving students enter UofL since its inception in 2007.

As the former state budget director, I know what more college graduates will mean to our economy. They make more money, which increases a state's tax base and demand for goods and services. This, in turn, fuels the economy. The Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center says the state could expect a cumulative increase of more than $5.3 billion in revenue if we reach the national average in educational attainment by 2020. To ensure that not one Kentuckian thinks a college education isn't possible, UofL is answering the governor's call and the strategies set forth by the Higher Education Work Group to be focused on affordability and transparency.
 
As we move closer to the 2010 legislative session, I ask you to remember that state support for higher education is key to making college affordable for our citizens' and to making Kentucky the best it can be.

Sincerely,
Signature: James R. Ramsey

Roadmap to success

Each month in The President's Report, we will outline some of the directions we must follow to meet the mandate set out in HB1 for UofL to become Kentucky's premier metropolitan research university. Please help us get there by following our "Roadmap to Success" during the upcoming legislative session.

The Importance of Being a Research University:

research universities advance kentucky's economy

Called on by the General Assembly to be one of Kentucky's two major research universities, UofL is focused on ensuring that great ideas growing out of the lab become real benefits to real people. 

As an economic engine, economists estimate that each dollar in federal research funding generates 
$2.20 for the local and state economies. Research discoveries lead to technology-based jobs and an 
expanded knowledge economy. While fierce competitors on the football field and basketball court, 
Kentucky's two research universities—UK and UofL—collaborate on many projects including: 

-- The Kentucky Cancer Program, whichprovides community outreach for cancer 
risks, symptoms and related services 
-- The early screening, identification of 
and provision of services for children with 
autism, and a statewide training initiative 
for their teachers 

-- Science literacy for middle school teachers� Numerous projects in nanotechnology, anemerging multibillion-dollar industry that 
involves creating ultra-tiny devices with 
unlimited applications in medicine, industry 
and much more.

At UofL we're all about quality, not quantity. Our incoming freshmen are the best prepared class we've ever had. But we could accept more top students if we had more classrooms in which to teach them. With an average class size of 28 and a 19 to one student/faculty ratio, we're working hard to retain a small school feel. But we're out of space. A study by the Council on Postsecondary Education shows that UofL, UK and NKU are the only state universities facing a shortage of classroom space. Less space means fewer available classes--delaying students' ability to enroll in the core courses they need to graduate. This problem was identified five years ago and has compounded every year since. A new classroom building is UofL's top capital priority for the 2010 legislative session.

UofL Across Kentucky 

Road Trip!

It's time once again for what has become 
a fall tradition�ofL's outreach program 
tour. This annual road trip takes UofL 
President James R. Ramsey, several prominent 
researchers and members of the admissions 
and alumni staff to practically every corner 
of the state to talk with potential students, 
meet with alumni and community leaders 
and share information on UofL and the host 
communities.
The group's 16 stops this year include visits 
to some 10 high schools, beginning Sept. 18 
with visits to Shelby County 
and Western Hills high 
schools where Dr. Ramsey 
spoke to several hundred 
juniors, seniors and advanced 
placement students. He 
delivered the message that 

UofL is focused on recruiting quality students 
rather than filling quotas. He also talked 
about how UofL helps these students achieve 
their goals through resources such as a Top 
100-ranked library, nationally recognized 
schools of business, engineering, education 
and medicine, and other outstanding 
programs.
Joining Dr. Ramsey on his stops in Franklin 
and Shelby counties was Dr. Jason Chesney, 
who talked with students about his 
groundbreaking cancer research. Later in 
the day, UofL leaders attended a luncheon 
in Frankfort with alumni and prospective 
students. 
A Central Kentucky Alumni Club event was 
held in Lexington on the eve of the UofL-
University of Kentucky football game.

Honorary degrees for 
Patton and Wagner

Two outstanding public servants were 
honored by UofL this year during the 
State of University Address on Sept. 
10. Hank Wagner (third from right), 
former CEO and president of Jewish 
Hospital HealthCare Services and a 
former member of UofL's Board of 
Trustees and Board of Overseers, along 
with former Kentucky Gov. Paul Patton 
(second from right), now president of 
Pikeville College, received honorary 
doctorates of public service. The 
degrees recognized their contributions 
to UofL through creation of the Bucks 
for Brains program and support of 
higher education.

UofL Savings Calculator

-- renegotiated campus software contracts 
$465K recurring� installed robotic 
information retrieval 
system in the library 
$394K recurring� Sold underperformingreynolds Building 
to private developer 
to generate cash 
flow and turn this 
dilapidated campus 
building into upscale 
condominiums. 
$1.2M one time

The University of Louisville is an equal opportunity institution. 
This publication is printed on recycled paper. It was produced by 
the University of Louisville and printed using non-state funds.