UK President Eli Capilouto sent a campus-wide email informing students and faculty of Gov. Andy Beshear’s budget proposal for the 2024-2026 school years.

The email was sent on Tuesday, Nov. 19 after Beshear announced his budgeted plan Monday night. 

Beshear’s budget address highlighted the upcoming changes and successes for higher education in Kentucky. 

 “The proposal details continued investments in higher education, including annual appropriations over the next two years to help fund general operations on our campuses,” Capilouto said in the email. “The proposal also contains funding for what we call ‘asset preservation,’ dollars that would be devoted to renovations of facilities in the core of our campus.”

The plan will add 8% to the base budgets of the nine public institutions over two years, Beshear said in his budget address.

“For the first time in several years all eligible applicants for need-based Student Financial Aid received it,” Beshear said. 

Capilouto said he appreciates Beshear’s “sustained commitment” and “belief in, the power of education.” 

He said this proposal is only the first step of many in Beshear’s legislative journey.

Capilouto said the General Assembly is set to meet early next year, where they expect leaders in the state House to share their budget proposal for the state. 

After the House and Senate weigh in, they will decide on a final budget for the next two years, the email said.

Capilouto said in the email that there will be many changes and issues during this process, which UK’s government relations team will sort out when in session.

“From conversations I’ve had with legislators throughout the last several months, I know there is strong support for the work we do on this campus as well as interest in how we do that work and how we respond to Kentucky’s needs,” Capilouto said in the email. 

Capilouto said he plans to be in Frankfort often, sharing UK’s “powerful story” with policymakers who care about the university’s role in making the commonwealth “healthier, wealthier and wiser.”

He said he will continue to share with the campus important updates on the budget status and other initiatives made at UK to advance the state.