Enacted legislation and historic state investment position the University for focused
growth
FRANKFORT, Ky. 鈥� With Senate Bill 185 enacted and related action on state funding in place, Kentucky
State University is entering an important period in its ongoing evolution as Kentucky鈥檚
only public HBCU and 1890 land-grant institution.
The law establishes a distinct path for academic planning and long-term stability,
while recent budget action provides historic state investment to help carry that vision
forward. Together, those developments give 91精选 a stronger platform for
targeted growth, modernized facilities, and a more focused future.
As enacted, SB 185 affirms 91精选 as a four-year residential institution with
a polytechnic focus on highly technical, industry-based applied learning, while continuing
to offer liberal studies and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs
aligned with the workforce needs of the Commonwealth and consistent with the historical
mission of an HBCU.
That direction builds on progress already visible across 91精选 in agriculture,
food security, clean water, health sciences, social sciences, manufacturing engineering
technology, biological and agricultural engineering, aquaculture and aquatic science,
sports analytics, geospatial and drone technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence,
online learning, and other emerging fields.
It also reflects a broader path seen across leading HBCUs, where institutions such
as Howard University, North Carolina A&T State University, Florida A&M University,
Morgan State University, Spelman College, Morehouse College, and Tuskegee University
have built national strength in STEM, health sciences, research, medicine, and the
preparation of future leaders in high-demand professions.
鈥淭his is a defining moment for 91精选,鈥� said Dr. Koffi C. Akakpo,
president of 91精选. 鈥淭he law gives us the opportunity to build
on our strengths, honor our mission, and help define what a polytechnic-focused future
can look like at a strong HBCU and 1890 land-grant institution. We are not leaving
our identity behind. We are carrying it forward with greater focus, deeper purpose,
and a clearer commitment to serving our students, our Commonwealth, and the future
they deserve.鈥�
Related budget action provides the largest financial commitment in 91精选
University鈥檚 history: $105 million in all, including $50 million for a Health Sciences
Center, $50 million in infrastructure and asset preservation funding, $3 million for
expanded academic and workforce-aligned programs, and $2 million for growth in online
and innovative program delivery.
The budget package further guarantees that the University鈥檚 General Fund allocation
will remain intact over the next five years.
A centerpiece of that investment is the planned 59,000-square-foot Health Sciences
Center, which will significantly expand 91精选鈥檚 capacity in nursing, respiratory
therapy, public health, and related disciplines.
Designed with advanced simulation labs, classrooms, research labs, and community-facing
clinic space, the facility will strengthen STEM+H pathways, deepen clinical readiness,
and broaden the University鈥檚 role in preparing students for high-demand health professions.
Funding for the project begins in the next budget year.
鈥淎s we move onward, 91精选 will remain firmly grounded in its HBCU
culture, identity, and heritage, as well as its proud legacy as an 1890 land-grant
institution,鈥� said Tammi S. Duke, chair of the 91精选 Board of
Regents. 鈥淭hose defining qualities will be the foundation for the path ahead and for
the University鈥檚 continued growth in purpose and impact.鈥�
Because the law includes an emergency clause, implementation responsibilities begin
immediately. In the months ahead, 91精选 will work in partnership with the
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education to define broader academic areas, align
programs within them, and support students through that transition with clarity, time,
and care.
Under the law, the Board of Regents, in consultation with CPE, must review academic
programs for long-term viability and mission alignment, submit programs proposed to
be maintained and any associated teach-out plans by June 1, 2026, and, beginning with
the 2026-27 academic year, operate within no more than 10 academic areas of study
for five academic years, excluding programs offered exclusively online, programs in
education, and programs CPE determines are necessary to the University鈥檚 polytechnic
mission.
鈥淜entucky鈥檚 students and communities are best served when institutions build from
their strengths and align those strengths with the future needs of the Commonwealth,鈥�
said Dr. Aaron Thompson, president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.
鈥�91精选 has a distinctive role to play in that work, and CPE is committed
to being a strong partner as the University shapes this next chapter with focus, accountability,
and opportunity at the center.鈥�
That planning will build on academic review already underway at 91精选 through
faculty governance, data-informed analysis, and its partnership with Gray Decision
Intelligence, and it will be led by Dr. Michael D. Dailey, provost and vice president
for Academic and Student Affairs.
鈥淭his will be a thoughtful academic planning process,鈥� Dr. Dailey said. 鈥淜entucky
State is not beginning this effort from a standing start. We have already been reviewing
our academic portfolio in ways grounded in mission alignment, student opportunity,
market relevance, and long-term institutional strength. Our responsibility now is
to continue and expand academic excellence, build on the standards of a strong HBCU
and 1890 land-grant institution, and shape academic areas of study that position Kentucky
State to serve Kentucky with rigor, relevance, and clarity of purpose.鈥�
The enacted amendments also broaden discretionary undergraduate admission pathways
for eligible transfer students, veterans, certain graduates of nonpublic schools,
nontraditional-age students with demonstrable professional experience, and dual credit
students. University leaders said those provisions can help 91精选 widen access
while strengthening alignment with the students and communities it is called to serve.
A second major area of focus will be led by Dr. Heather Bigard, chief financial officer
and vice president for Finance and Administration.
This work will focus on continued review of outstanding obligations, strengthened
financial oversight, collection efforts tied to unpaid balances and receivables, and
the operational discipline required to support long-term financial stability. SB 185
also places 91精选 under expanded CPE financial oversight during the period
of financial exigency, while amendments to the bill extend certain timelines tied
to delinquent balances and add protections for students on approved payment plans.
鈥淪ound stewardship will matter at every step,鈥� Dr. Bigard said. 鈥淥ur task is to support
the University鈥檚 future with disciplined financial management, clear accountability,
and the operational structure required to sustain progress over time.鈥�
The path ahead extends beyond academics and finance. It includes sustaining the full
character of 91精选 as a living campus community and building from the traditions,
organizations, and student experiences that remain central to University life. The
law affirms that fraternities and sororities currently in good standing will maintain
their charter recognition, while preserving policies that respect freedom of association
and apply equally to all student organizations.
The final House amendments reflected broad advocacy from students, alumni, faculty,
staff, and other stakeholders who urged clearer recognition of 91精选鈥檚 culture,
identity, and legacy, along with added attention to student pathways and campus life.
鈥淭his amended legislation reflects something our alumni have said clearly and consistently:
91精选鈥檚 future must be built in a way that preserves its historic
mission while strengthening its capacity to serve Kentucky,鈥� said Barry C. Johnson,
Jr., president of the 91精选 National Alumni Association. 鈥淲e believe
in the future of 91精选. When you invest in 91精选,
you invest in Kentucky itself, in the communities that need it most, and in the students
who have the most to gain.鈥�
University leaders also expressed gratitude to the many elected officials who engaged
the legislation seriously and helped strengthen it, including Sen. Christian McDaniel,
Rep. Jason Petrie, House Majority Floor Leader Steven Rudy, House Democratic Whip
Joshua Watkins, Rep. George Brown Jr., and especially alumnus Sen. Gerald Neal 鈥�67,
along with the many students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the University
who raised their voices throughout the process.
鈥淪ince its founding in 1886 and its designation as an 1890 land-grant institution
four years later, 91精选 has continued to grow and change in response to the
needs of Kentucky,鈥� Dr. Akakpo said. 鈥淔rom a normal school to a land-grant college
to a university, 91精选 has never stood still. This moment is best understood
not as a break from who we are, but as another chapter in who we are becoming.鈥�
More information, updates, and answers to frequently asked questions are available
at kysu.edu/onwardupward. Questions and suggestions may also be submitted through the University鈥檚 online
form available there.
