Monitoring Federal Policy Changes

Campus Community,

This week, President Donald Trump and the new administration signed dozens of executive orders and personnel actions. The potential impacts of these actions reach across the country.

These will inevitably affect higher education — and our university — as well. After all, our mission of education, research, service and care is deep and broad. We have some 36,000 students and more than 25,000 employees with a presence in every county in Kentucky, and a reach — through our education and research — that extends around the world.

Here is how we are responding at the University of Kentucky:

• We are working quickly to monitor these orders and actions as they occur and assess and analyze their potential impacts on the work we do.
• We have a team of experts on our campus — and colleagues throughout higher education — who are working on this effort.
• Our team will be reporting regularly to my cabinet — the senior leaders who directly report to me and represent every major unit on campus — to ensure we understand all the policy changes and potential impacts on our institution.
• If we need to make changes or modifications to any work we do, we will quickly and transparently communicate those as appropriate.
• In the meantime, to the extent you have specific questions or concerns:
  • Employees, please communicate with your supervisors, directors, deans and unit administrators, who should elevate questions and concerns to the appropriate university leaders. Questions of law, specifically, should go to the General Counsel.
  • Students, please reach out to our Office for Student Success.

The potential for such significant changes brings uncertainty — and, understandably, anxiety. As an institution, and as a community that cares, we will work quickly and compassionately to understand the changes, if and how they impact us and how we intend to move forward in accordance with the law and in support of our mission and values as Kentucky’s university.

Thank you for your understanding during this period as we take the time to work through these issues as a community.

Eli Capilouto
President