Students choose UK for its brand and the opportunities a land grant and flagship university can offer. Students don’t choose UK for its facilities.

This undergraduate experience was a main topic for discussion Saturday at the Board of Trustees’ retreat, where it was reported that 81 percent of campus facilities were rated fair to poor.

“Students feel neglected,” said student representative Micah Fielden about campus buildings.

Fielden, who is also Student Government president, said the Student Center isn’t shown to perspective students on campus tours. “I think that definitely shows we are not proud of our Student Center,” he said.

Trustee C.B. Akins Sr. agreed.

“I do think it is an indictment when we can’t put the Student Center on the tour for perspective students,” Akins said.

Related link: The University Review Committee made six recommendations to the president, and gave statistics about the university.

Though the percentage of students who leave UK after their first year has decreased, the percentage of students who leave after their second year has increased. “UK also loses nearly three out of 10 students by the third year,” according to the report.

Fielden believes a lot of the university’s problems regarding retention rates and undergraduate experience could be solved with new facilities because they help create community. Better facilities that students want to spend time in, he said, will make them want to stay.

“It is not one factor,” Capilouto said about why students leave.

Other topics discussed:

Saturday’s retreat concluded with a group discussion about various topics, such as the need to identify non-state sources of funding, the evaluation of programs and resource allocation, and the need to work efficiently with the political system.

“The biggest challenge is to implement quickly what we’ve talked about,” May said. “We can’t be studying (the report) to death for the next five years,” and not do anything, she said.

Athletics was also discussed, along with the topic of “student-athletes,” and the fact they are not living the typical student experience.

Trustee Jo Curris said she is a big lover of athletics but suggested that now is the time to begin positive conversation about athletics, both the good and the bad.

“But one of the things last year has shown us is that we are hesitant to talk about athletics,” she said. “This board should not be hesitant in a legitimate and rational way to discuss athletics.”

news editor Rachel Aretakis at [email protected] or on Twitter @KernelAretakis.