Update on Federal and State Issues

Campus Community,

I want to provide you with important updates about what we’ve been tracking on the federal and state levels this week. 

Federal Policy

The University of Kentucky has formally notified the PhD Project that UK is canceling any contractual relationship that exists between our institution and this organization.

Last week, I informed campus that the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights notified us that UK is among 45 universities under review regarding the use of “racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities.”

UK received the formal notification of the review over the weekend. We are continuing to examine this issue, but we believe based on our initial analysis that UK’s role in this organization has been limited to attendance at an annual conference. This conference is designed to encourage networking among schools to promote enrollment. Further, from that initial review, we do not have any doctoral students engaged with the program.

In any event, we have discontinued any association with the organization, given this review and the concerns raised. We will be communicating this step to the Department of Education as we fully cooperate with its review.

We also continue to assess several actions by the administration and responding litigation. You can find updates at pres.uky.edu/monitoring-federal-changes-2025 and research.uky.edu/federal-changes-2025. You also can send questions about any of these issues to govquestions@uky.edu. 

State Legislature

Last week, the Kentucky General Assembly also completed the bulk of its work as part of its annual session — a 30-day short session where legislators consider non-budgetary items. 

The legislature will return for two days at the end of the month to consider any vetoes of bills by Gov. Andy Beshear. Simple majorities in both chambers may override a governor’s veto.

Although our government relations team monitored hundreds of proposals throughout the session, I want to draw your attention to three pieces of legislation overwhelmingly approved by the General Assembly:

House Bill 4 prohibits the dissemination of “discriminatory concepts” on college campuses, such as mandatory diversity hiring statements or trainings as well as spending money on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In many ways, this legislation mirrors a number of directives and executive orders at the federal level announced by President Trump’s administration.

We are complying with all federal and state laws and directives. Last fall, we announced a number of policy initiatives specifically around these issues that positioned us to be compliant with these changes, while continuing to honor our values of academic and scholarly freedom and our intent to be one community composed of many people.

House Bill 424 has been described as the tenure bill. It, too, passed both chambers and has been sent to the governor. As many of you know, our colleges and units already formally review tenured faculty on a regular basis. If the legislation is ultimately enacted, at the direction of the UK Board of Trustees, we would develop an evaluation process in consultation with the Faculty Senate and the Office of the Provost. Certainly, aspects such as peer evaluations would be an important component of such a process.

That process, when complete, would be provided to the Board of Trustees for its consideration and approval.

I am confident that such a process on our campus will honor the fundamental importance of tenure in the recruitment and retention of faculty scholars. Further, this legislation ensures that the responsibility for developing and implementing that process remains with the campus community.

Finally, Senate Bill 3 codifies how collegiate athletics programs in our state can share revenues with student athletes, beginning this fall. This legislation was necessary to comply with the pending settlement of a federal lawsuit, the so-called House Settlement. 

A federal judge is expected to rule on the settlement terms in April. Among other things, the settlement, if approved, details how athletics programs can share revenue with student athletes, while also allowing those student athletes to earn income by marketing their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL).

Moving Forward

Nearly 1,100 bills were filed during this legislative session. And our government relations team — along with scores of people across our campus — monitored and tracked more than 500 of them for their potential impact on the university. 

It’s long, hard and important work. I want to thank all those people — and there are hundreds of them at UK — who participated in this process. Their efforts are crucial in protecting and promoting all that we do to advance Kentucky.

In the midst of challenging times, in which we are receiving more scrutiny and questions about our work than ever before, our community continues to find ways to advance our state. 

It is our mission. It is our north star. 

I’m confident that it will continue to guide our path as we remain focused on partnering with others to make Kentucky stronger and healthier, now and into the future.

Eli Capilouto

President