The UK Board of Trustees unanimously adopted a set of principles to direct university president Eli Capilouto to grow UK’s “research enterprise,” especially as it relates to health care, according to a press release by UK spokesman Jay Blanton.

The resolution was adopted at the board’s annual two-day retreat at Mandrell Hall and Patterson Office Tower. According to the release, the resolution intends to facilitate staff and student success, recruit and retain world-class scholars to research teams and increase interdisciplinary work and research infrastructure.

“The challenges are overwhelming, but we can be up to the task of making a difference,” Capilouto said in the press release. “These are not easy issues, but they must be our issues. The University of Kentucky represents the greatest hope in making progress against these issues, but it will take focus.”

The board also approved an increase in scope from $1.6 to $2.7 million for the Center for Applied Energy Research Slipstream Capital Project, according to the release.

The board approved the initial project scope back in June, but unforeseen conditions and bids that exceeded the engineer’s original estimates required an increase in funding. The project will partner the CAER with Louisville Gas & Electric and Kentucky Utilities to perform testing on a carbon dioxide capture system, according to the release.

Federal funds from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory, as well as private funds, will contribute to the $1.1 million increase, which will be submitted to the Capital Projects and Bond Oversight Committee pending board approval.

STAFF REPORT