The University of Kentucky announced earlier this year that it was eliminating its diversity office. UK’s Main Building houses the UK president’s and other offices. (Photo by Mark Cornelison | UK Photo)
Kentucky’s Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) has paused an evaluation of equal opportunity goals for the state’s public universities.
CPE General Counsel Travis Powell told lawmakers on the Interim Joint Committee on Education Friday that CPE halted the annual evaluation via a moratorium about a month ago to review and establish a new process. The new process will later be filed as an administrative regulation, he said.
The review ending in June was the final time Kentucky’s public colleges and universities went through the evaluation process that’s being changed, he said. CPE oversees higher education at eight public universities and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System
The benchmarks have come under fire from Republican lawmakers as they debate how to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs and initiatives in higher education. Rep. Josh Calloway, R-Irvington, has said he and other lawmakers, including Rep. Candy Massaroni, R-Bardstown, planned to file a bill during the 2025 legislative session that would eliminate a requirement for public universities and colleges to submit diversity plans to the CPE and remove penalties for not meeting CPE standards. Lawmakers return to Frankfort in January.