UK President Eli Capilouto discussed the importance of Black History Month and the significant role of UK’s Black alumni in an email sent to the campus community earlier this morning. 

In the email, Capilouto also recognized the UK Alumni Association’s 2023 Great Teachers Award winners and invited campus workers to provide feedback on a draft of Work Location Guidelines.

Black History Month

During Black History Month, UK will host events on campus to honor the contributions made by activists, civil rights pioneers and other Black figures. A list of these events can be found here.

“Black History Month is an important time to reflect on and be grateful for the invaluable contributions of members of our Black community,” Capilouto said.

Capilouto attributed UK’s legacy to the university’s Black alumni. 

“We are, undoubtedly, the vibrant and diverse institution we are today because of the remarkable Black alumni who forced open our doors and paved a path for those who would follow,”Capilouto said.

He also said the university implemented a plan to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion. The full document can be found on UK’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion website.

Capilouto said the work put into progressing the diversity, equity, and inclusion on our campus is never complete; there is more history to be learned, more conversations to be had and more stories to be told.

Great Teachers

UK posted a video to YouTube titled Watch What Makes These UK Teachers So Special, to recognize faculty awarded the UK Alumni Association’s 2023 Great Teachers Award. 

Students recognized teachers and mentors who prepared them for their future careers and shaped the young individuals into active members of their communities. 

Capilouto acknowledged the impact this group of faculty made on their students.

“(These faculty members) have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to our students, this university and the future of our state and world,” Capilouto said.

Recipients of the 2023 Great Teachers Award: Dibakar Bhattacharyya, College of Engineering; Derek Lane, College of Communication and Information; Jennifer Bird-Pollan, J. David Rosenberg College of Law; Candice Hargons, College of Education; Martina Vasil, College of Fine Arts; and Kenton Sena, Lewis Honors College.

Work Location Guidelines 

Capilouto shared a draft of UK’s Work Location Guidelines, which can be found on UK’s human resources website, and asked for feedback from faculty and staff. Feedback can be submitted through this form until 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15. 

The guidelines will be finalized later this spring.

Capilouto thanked all faculty and staff for their drive and commitment to the initiative presented as well as those who have already provided feedback on the Work Location Guidelines draft.

“This process is essential to ensuring we are supporting our employees while thinking about how we can fulfill our institutional mission and efforts to advance Kentucky,” Capilouto said.