PIKEVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky Community and Technical College System Board of Regents approved a 2020-22 biennial budget request to be submitted and considered by the Council on Postsecondary Education during their quarterly board meeting. This request includes a seven percent increase to performance funding in 2021 and a 10 percent increase in 2021-22. It also includes a request to support the expansion of nursing programs at all KCTCS colleges.
The demand for registered nurses in Kentucky far exceeds the supply. Last year, KCTCS colleges awarded 840 nursing credentials, fulfilling 31 percent of the state’s total need. The funding request will allow the 16 KCTCS colleges to hire more nursing faculty and provide year-round course offerings and is expected to grow the number of nursing graduates by almost 25 percent annually.
“The proposed expansion of nursing programs will help us fulfill our role as the solution to the state’s workforce shortage,” said Dr. Gail R. Henson, Chair of the KCTCS Board Regents. “All areas of the state are hard hit by this shortage and as more baby boomers retire, this situation will only get worse.”
During the meeting the board received a report from the President’s Contract Review Committee and decided to take no action.
In other business, the board:
- Ratified 27 certificate programs.
- Approved 23,658 academic credential requests between April 11, 2019 – July 17, 2019 (associate degrees, diplomas and certificates). These credentials include: 15,875 candidates for certificates; 1,363 candidates for diplomas; 6,420 candidates for associate degrees.
The next meeting of the KCTCS Board of Regents is scheduled for December 6, 2019 at the KCTCS System Office, Versailles.
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