Statement on Kentucky 2023-2024 Biennial Budget and KSU funding from CPE President Aaron Thompson

April 15, 2022

The state’s biennial budget makes a historic investment in education in the commonwealth. It is a testament to our elected leaders’ bold commitment to a strong higher education system that serves the needs of our state’s students, businesses and economy.

Among the budget’s priorities are funds for the Postsecondary Education Performance Fund, the highly successful Bucks for Brains program, student financial aid, and construction and renovation projects on campuses. This support will help improve campus infrastructure, fund cutting-edge research and foster student success while maintaining affordability for Kentucky students and their families. 

The budget reflects the value and breadth of our college and university system’s contributions to the commonwealth, from community-enhancing arts programs like Eastern Kentucky University’s Center for the Arts to life-saving research institutions such as the University of Kentucky’s Markey Cancer Center. It allows Kentucky’s brightest minds to gain the practical experience they need to excel in college and beyond with programs like Morehead State University’s Craft Academy, and it will help ensure Kentucky students are prepared for the jobs of the future through KCTCS’ Workforce Development Trust Fund and the Health Care Workforce Initiative, administered by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.

In addition to the investments in the biennial budget, House Bill 250 will give us the resources, flexibility and structure we need to support Kentucky State University, an indispensable member of our higher education community. This funding and the Council on Postsecondary Education’s management and improvement plan are designed to get KSU back on solid financial footing so it can continue to train students for jobs in in-demand fields and maintain its nationally recognized research programs. I look forward to working closely with KSU leadership, faculty and staff to be good financial stewards and ensure the university thrives. 

I am grateful for the ongoing support of Kentucky’s elected officials, which will allow our institutions to be responsive to the needs of business and industry and help students find their path pursuing high-demand trades, short-term workforce credentials, two- and four-year degrees, or higher levels of education. I look forward to standing alongside our colleges and universities across the commonwealth to build a world-class higher education system that fosters a brighter future for us all.