MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) _ The slumping economy may mean that Kansas State University students will have to work even harder for scholarships.

The K-State Foundation says the university awarded $8.7 million in scholarships through the organization in 2008, 22 percent less than the previous year's nearly $11 million. Scholarship amounts will hold steady for spring semester, but what happens down the road is unknown.

Despite the downturn, athletic scholarship levels actually rose 7 percent in 2008, from $4.2 million the previous year to $4.5 million.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)