Tuition will go up $208 or more next year.

Western’s strategic plan calls for at least a 6 percent tuition increase yearly through 2012, but it may be more because of increases in uncontrollable costs and budget cuts from the state, President Gary Ransdell said.

The state cut funding to Western by 6 percent causing officials to raise tuition by 8 percent this semester.

The 8 percent equals an almost $257 increase in each Kentucky resident’s tuition and an almost $413 increase in out of state tuition, which increased by about 10.5 percent, said Ann Mead, vice president of finance and administration.

Elizabethtown freshman Leighanna Groff said she has two scholarships that cover tuition but not room and board or living costs. She said she struggles to come up with money for things such as food and books.

“All of that came out of my pocket because all of it got sucked out on tuition,” she said.

Groff said she would have had about $300 left over if tuition hadn’t increased.

Ransdell said tuition must increase if state funding can’t cover costs because it is the only other source of revenue.

According to the executive summary, the money from this year’s increase, which totaled almost $8.5 million, went toward costs such as workers’ compensation.

Next year’s increase is expected to fund uncontrollable costs such as the increase of minimum wage to $7.25 in July. An announced increase in energy costs from the Tennessee Valley Authority and a rise in faculty and staff salaries would also be funded through the increase, Mead said.

Ransdell said it will be necessary to increase salaries to help with the cost of living because it was only raised by about $500 per person this year.

He said he doesn’t know how much salaries will increase.

Reach Christina Howerton at news@chherald.com.