Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear recently signed Senate Bill 185 into law. The legislation will transform Kentucky State University into a polytechnic institute focused on STEM education.
The bill requires the Frankfort-based HBCU to offer no more than 10 academic areas of study, excluding programs that are exclusively online, in the College of Education, or determined by the Council of Postsecondary Education to be necessary to KSU’s polytechnic mission. These changes will begin in the 2026–2027 academic year and continue for the next five years.
Now that the bill has been signed, the university’s board of regents has until June 1 to determine which of the HBCU’s 61 academic degree programs will survive and which will close or transform to comply with the legislation’s requirements. Although many programs will be discontinued, leaders at KSU are developing teach-out plans to ensure currently enrolled students in the affected programs can complete their degrees.
“We fully anticipate that all of our students will be able to graduate from Kentucky State University,” Tammi Dukes, chair of the board of regents, told the Kentucky Lantern. “As we phase out some programs, those students who are currently in a program, we’re going to make sure that they adequately matriculate through the university, so that’s not an issue at all.”
She continued, “Ultimately, this bill strengthens Kentucky State University. It gives us both the financial means as well as the legislative support to help us be successful. And we know that this is going to help us be onward and outward, and I am positive that this is going to be the thing that really takes Kentucky State University to the next level.”
