UK’s nepotism policy does not apply to President Eli Capilouto’s cousin, who works at the university.

The policy came to be a topic of discussion this week after the Board of Trustees approved athletic director Mitch Barnhart’s daughter for a position in the athletics department.

According to the policy, which was last revised in 2007, “No relative of the president shall be employed at the university.”

UK spokesman Jay Blanton said in an email to the Kernel that the policy does not apply to cousins.

According to the university’s governing regulations, relatives include “parents and children, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, brothers- and sisters-in-law, mothers- and fathers-in-law, uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews, sons- and daughters-in-law and step-relatives in the same relationships.”

The president’s cousin, Gilson Capilouto, is a regular faculty in health sciences at UK. She was employed by the university before her cousin became UK’s 12th president.

She declined comment when contacted by the Kernel.

The Board’s decision for Barnhart’s daughter was not unanimous. At least eight of the 20 trustees voted “no” against the measure.

The policy did not apply in Barnhart’s situation because his position is not explicitly listed in the policy, but Blanton said the president brought the motion in front of the Board in the interest of transparency.