On Tuesday, Dec. 2, the Kernel editorial board suggested that, in the face of statewide budget shortfalls, a sensible cut would be research.  Aside from the exclusion of the fact that undergraduates are involved in research as well as graduates, the editorial said, “this research has little effect on the students.”

Clearly, this idea neglects the many facets of research, including how the other initiatives, the ones it recommended be spared, have been founded on or greatly benefitted by academic research.  How would the Violence Intervention and Prevention Center know which problems to tackle and which tools to implement without quality studies done on those subjects?  Moreover, much of the research is not funded by the university itself, but actually brings money in to UK.  Many projects are run by recipients of prestigious grants that reduce the financial obligations of the university by paying salaries and overhead, among other things.

The classes students take every day are the results of centuries of scholarly inquiry and advancement of disciplines by those dedicated to going above and beyond in their academic careers or professional fields.  Research professors are able to provide their students with the cutting-edge knowledge from their fields.  Students involved in research are generally retained at a higher rate and are more successful in their college careers—evidence of an activity much more complex than “experimenting on apes.”  These are the kinds of productive students and individuals UK should strive to educate and send on to quality graduate schools and the job market.  Professors and students such as these are the ones solving the problems of today and tomorrow for our Commonwealth.

UK’s status as a research university has not only enriched the educational experiences of students in diverse fields and allowed them to continue on to competitive graduate programs in their research fields, it teaches a skill set that cannot be found in the core curriculum.  From laboratory work to playwriting, UK’s researchers in the natural and social sciences, humanities, etc., are disciplined, independent, and creative because of their commitment to learning and their personal engagement with their respective areas.  Cutting research would not only hurt those of us involved in academic pursuits, but also reduce the innumerable benefits of research endeavors to the university.

SPUR – The Society for the Promotion of Undergraduate Research

Jenna Brashear

international studies junior

Lesley Mann

agriculture biotechnology junior

Alecia Fields

women’s health advocacy junior