Changes recommended to UK board will be ‘designed to clarify’ faculty’s role, president says

Hundreds of University of Kentucky staff and faculty members attended a meeting Monday asking President Eli Capilouto to delay his upcoming recommendations to the board of trustees around shared governance and voicing concerns about the approach the administration has taken.

In the hour and a half long university senate meeting, Capilouto said he continues to gather feedback from faculty, staff and students about the university’s governance, but reiterated his plan to make recommendations to the board in April about the university’s governance structure.

Faculty members said they are concerned about the rushed timeline of the process and requested that Capilouto consider asking the board of trustees for more time to look at recommendations, while others emphasized their willingness to work with administrators on potential restructuring.

Speaking to a standing room only crowd, with over 400 people joining the meeting virtually and in person, Capilouto said he had spent the last two weeks gathering feedback about what works and what needs to change at UK, and would continue to do so this week.

“Ultimately, the changes that I will recommend to the board are designed to clarify the principles enumerated in our governing regulations, and give clear direction to those of us on how we can and should work to honor our mission,” Capilouto said.

Capilouto said he plans to present proposed recommended changes to faculty, staff and students by the end of this month with time for feedback before presenting recommendations at the next board meeting.

UK’s senate, which was first established in 1917, not only has an advisory role, but also holds policy-making power. For example, the senate approves academic programs and sets admissions standards at UK.

How did we get here?

It’s been almost one month since the UK board of trustees approved a resolution directing Capilouto to “formulate recommended changes to our Governing Regulations for this Board’s consideration at the next meeting.”

The resolution had five points, including a directive to define “a clear and appropriate distinction” between the roles of the board, president and faculty. It also called for recommending changes to regulations that “define and clearly articulate a shared governance structure that is in greater alignment with institutional benchmarks and that clearly recognizes the Board’s primacy as the institution’s policymaking body.”

It’s a move administrators say would make the university more “nimble,” streamline the decision-making process, and add student and staff voices. But faculty members worry potential changes would remove them from the decision-making process around academics and give more power to the administration.

“Refinements to our rules do not diminish our mission. They make it stronger,” Capilouto said Monday.

Several faculty members had concerns about the report made at the February board meeting by Deloitte Consulting, which consisted of findings from interviews with students, faculty and staff. Concerns center around using the report as the basis for restructuring the governance regulations, when Deloitte representatives said their “process was not intended to be scientific.”

Capilouto said he believed there was “validity in recognizing a lack of clarity” around educational policies at UK.

One concern that has been repeatedly raised is the length of the university senate rules — over 300 pages. Capilouto said “the senate rules don’t make clear that the board (of trustees) has final authority over everything.” However, the first bylaw in the Senate Rulebook states “the authority exercised by the total University Senate membership is as delegated by the Board of Trustees.”

“There is still cause to engage in feedback and consider the ways we govern ourselves,” Capilouto said.

Other faculty members asked Capilouto if he would consider slowing down the process and asking the board for more time to review policies and present suggestions. He said he still planned to present recommendations in April to adhere to the timeline requested by the board.