Lawmakers recently met to review contracts awarded to various post-secondary education institutions across Kentucky.
The University of Kentucky is contracted to receive $300,000 in funding to enhance employee retirement packages campus wide. This funding includes the contracting of retirement consultation firm CAPTRUST, whose goal would be guiding UK employees into picking the optimal retirement package.
Senator Reginald Thomas said top level universities should offer their employees top level benefits.
“I am not really that troubled with universities and their consulting, because we want to have the best universities here in Kentucky possible, and UK is now among the best in the United States,” said Thomas.
Northern Kentucky University is contracted to receive $75,000 to find a school of nursing program director. NKU’s nursing program services over 2,700 students and is one of the largest nursing programs in the state. Officials said there is a shortage of healthcare professionals in the U.S. who are qualified for the position.
Thomas added healthcare programs are important institutions in the Commonwealth.
“If there's anything good that came from the COVID virus, it was that we understand as a nation now how important our health care delivery system is,” said Thomas.
The Council on Postsecondary Education is set to receive funding to survey the feasibility of turning Hazard Community and Technical College into a four-year university. This transfer to a four-year institution would include the construction of dormitories, and the addition of business, nursing, and criminology four-year programs.