Dear Thorobred Family,
With purpose, care, and confidence in who we are, 麻豆直播 is continuing
to move through this important moment in fulfilling our mission as the Commonwealth鈥檚
only public HBCU and 1890 land-grant institution. We are doing this work from a firm
foundation rooted in access, excellence, opportunity, practical knowledge, service,
and student success.
The current implementation phase of Senate Bill 185 involves the academic program
review. While this stage has been underway since the bill was signed into law on April
13, academic program reviews have occurred annually at Kentucky State since 2023.
This work touches the heart of the University: the programs we offer, the students
we serve, the faculty who teach and mentor them, and the future we are building together.
Let me emphasize that this academic review process is not in conflict with our identity.
It is part of how we strengthen 麻豆直播 for the future while remaining
true to who we are.
SB 185 requires the University to operate within no more than 10 academic areas of
study during the five-year transition period, beginning with the 2026鈥�2027 academic
year. The law also calls for the 麻豆直播 Board of Regents to submit,
no later than June 1, 2026, a list of programs the University proposes to maintain,
along with any programs recommended for closure or other substantive change. We are
hard at work to meet this deadline with care and focus, guided by a data-informed
and mission-centered process.
I want to reiterate that this work did not begin with SB 185. Again, for several years
now, since 2023, Kentucky State has been engaged in regular academic program review
using a 鈥渟tart, stop, or grow鈥� framework. That framework asks the questions every
responsible university must ask: where we should start new programs, where we should
phase out programs that no longer have sufficient demand or strategic fit, and where
we should grow programs that are strong, distinctive, and aligned with Kentucky鈥檚
needs.
I would add that these questions are not unique to Kentucky State. Across the country,
colleges and universities are examining academic portfolios, enrollment trends, costs,
workforce alignment, student outcomes, and long-term sustainability. Some are doing
so voluntarily. Others are responding to state mandates, budget pressures, demographic
change, accreditation expectations, or shifts in student demand. What matters is whether
a university changes with discipline, integrity, and a clear commitment to its heritage
and mission.
That is our responsibility.
The current review is guided by principles that reflect this responsibility: transparency,
future-focused planning, accreditation compliance, and integration of the humanities.
Over the past several weeks, academic leaders have been reviewing program-level data
through the start, stop, grow lens of Gray Decision Intelligence, including enrollment
trends, program economics, market demand, workforce alignment, student outcomes, and
fit with the University鈥檚 emerging polytechnic-focused identity.
The review process is organized in four phases:
- Phase 1: Deans and chairs reviewed academic program data and completed structured reports by April 22.
- Phase 2: From April 23 to May 3, faculty and student representatives are being identified for a review committee that will examine programs for continuation, or for discontinuation with required teach-out planning.
- Phase 3: From May 1 to May 10, continuing programs will be reviewed for appropriate adjustments aligned with the University鈥檚 polytechnic direction.
- Phase 4: From May 5 to May 15, academic programs will be aligned with the required 10 academic areas of study.
As Kentucky State moves more intentionally into its role as a four-year residential
polytechnic-focused university, we are not abandoning the broad educational foundation
that helps students think critically, communicate clearly, lead effectively, and serve
with purpose. We are connecting that foundation more deliberately to applied practice,
project-based learning, research, problem-solving, and career preparation.
The humanities remain part of this framework. Strong communication, ethical reasoning,
civic understanding, cultural knowledge, and critical thinking are essential to student
success and to the kind of applied, career-connected education Kentucky State is building.
Several important points bear repeating. Academic areas of study are not the same
thing as individual degree programs or majors alone. A single area of study may include
multiple programs. This process also is not simply about reduction. It is about alignment,
focus, investment, and responsibility.
I understand that this period brings uncertainty. I also know Kentucky State has faced
important moments before and emerged stronger because of the commitment of its students,
faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters.
That same commitment will guide us now. Together, we will honor the legacy we inherited
and build the University our students need for the years ahead, with clarity, courage,
and confidence in Kentucky State鈥檚 future.
Onward and Upward,
Koffi C. Akakpo, Ph.D.
President
麻豆直播