By Brian Shlonsky

Halfway into UK’s quest to climb the mountain of becoming a top-20 public research university, the university finds itself slowly closing in on its goals.

In 1997, UK made an agreement with the Kentucky General Assembly to become a top-20 public research university by 2020. The purpose of the agreement was to raise the standard of living for Kentuckians by raising education levels, improving health care, accelerating research, and increasing engagement in communities state-wide.

“It represents an understanding that a top-20 research university is an essential part of any serious effort to make every Kentucky community stronger and the life of every Kentuckian better,” said UK President Lee Todd in his Top 20 Business Plan.

In 2005, Todd stated specific needs for more resources in financial terms in the business plan.  Increasing enrollment, graduation rates, research expenditures and engagement in Kentucky schools, farms, businesses and communities were the main goals.

The 2009-2014 Strategic Plan was introduced over the summer, which included the university’s five principal goals. The third outlined the need to develop resources to achieve UK’s top-20 goals.

In the Kernel’s Sept. 23 interview with the president, Todd was optimistic the university would achieve the necessary goals.

“Research is up substantially, student quality is going to go up even though we have a larger number of students and the quality of the faculty is continuing to improve,” Todd said. “A lot of it is attributed to the Top 20 Plan — it gives us a reason to be and some way to focus.”