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Our Plan to Advance Kentucky

The University of Kentucky was created to advance this state — its health, its economy and its quality of life. In the past decade, through its mission of education, research, service and care, the university has been striving to meet the needs of Kentucky through growth — educating and graduating more students, moving enrollment to record levels, treating and healing the largest number of patients in our history with a continued emphasis on advanced subspeciality care and expanding a research capacity focused on the state’s most significant challenges and opportunities. In fact, the momentum that has occurred in higher education in the Commonwealth over the last decade — in terms of overall degrees, degrees among students of color and from lower-income households — has been fueled and driven by the University of Kentucky.

Utilizing UK’s Strategic Plan — the UK-PURPOSE — as a framework and guide, the Board of Trustees directs the president to focus the university’s expansive capacity and commitment on accelerating efforts to advance Kentucky — its economy, the health and welfare of its citizens and its quality of life through a plan that ensures: more educated Kentuckians, more readiness, more partnerships, more employee recruitment and retention, more responsiveness. 

You can read the full chairman's recommendation (CR1) from the October 2023 Board of Trustees meeting here. 

Work Groups

More Educated Kentuckians

Continuing strategic and thoughtful enrollment growth, focused on the workforce needs of Kentucky and developing ways through comprehensive planning efforts that align UK’s full complement of disciplines, our health and research enterprises and new and strengthened partnerships with schools, government, corporations and industry to incentivize students to live and work in Kentucky following graduation.

Work Group 1

More Readiness

Working in a campus-wide initiative through the institution’s shared governance structure, the university will assess, evaluate and revise the institution’s general education curriculum – the UK Core – with a focus on ensuring students are provided with the skills to succeed in a fast-changing and sophisticated workplace that will require technical competency but also the capacity to engage in critical thinking and constructive dialogue as our graduates must lead companies and communities in the process of forging solutions rather than divisions. 

Work Group 2

More Partnerships

Expanding the university’s impact through partnerships, acquisitions, new initiatives with schools, governments, non-profits, industry and corporations that enhance UK’s ability to meet the state’s needs through its mission of education, research, service and care.

Work Group 3

More Employee Recruitment and Retention

Reviewing how UK takes care of all its people to maximize recruitment and retention of the best and most inclusive employee base while continuing to be responsive to the evolving needs of employees.

Work Group 4

More Responsiveness

Reviewing policies, procedures and financing strategies to ensure the institution is aligned with the state’s needs. This process will include a review of relationships with the CPE, K-12, government agencies and the private sector, as well as the University’s Governing and Administrative Regulations to ensure the institution is poised to accelerate its progress and growth.

Work Group 5

Accelerating our Purpose

Moving forward, accelerating efforts to advance Kentucky

Together, we have accomplished so much over the last decade — record numbers of students enrolled, new milestones in graduation and retention rates and a continued expansion of our health care, research and service missions. We are doing more for our state than ever before. But our work is not done. Our Board of Trustees has asked us to examine thoughtfully how we can find ways to do and be more for the state.

UK Board Unequivocally Supports President Capilouto’s Leadership

As you know, the Board of Trustees asked President Eli Capilouto and the campus to focus on accelerating our progress in advancing Kentucky.  Among the five areas we directed President Capilouto and campus to address included a focus on more responsiveness — examining our rules and regulations and how they position UK for success.

Celebrating Our Graduates and a Transformational Year

More than 4,300 students crossed the stage to receive diplomas, signifying a personal achievement and prepared to live their lives. UK conferred more than 5,700 degrees overall (click here to watch an interview I conducted with some of our graduates). That diploma is our promise of passage — the next step in a journey that we hope holds success in a career or chosen pursuit, and, as always, a life of meaning and purpose.