U of L board updates: Tuition hike proposed
Tom Loftus, @TomLoftus_CJ1:57 p.m. EDT August 25, 2016
set to meet at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the University Club.
Shepherd said that the Kentucky Justice Resource Center had raised "a very legitimate issue." But that the U of L Board stands to "suffer great harm" if it does not have authority to steer the university until all legal issues surrounding its authority are resolved.
"The University requires a budget. The University must address student tuition," Shepherd wrote.
UPDATES FROM THE MEETING
►Pinto: Fall enrollment looking very good: Expect to be 21,500 students, 311 more than last year. 2900 freshman, average ACT 25.5, 3.6 GPA
►This will be first meeting of the old board since March 1 when Ramsey "no confidence vote" was blocked on procedural grounds
►Goes into executive session to discuss routine promotions, tenure decisions
►Personnel committee of BOT is meeting now
►Operating budget for 2016-17 is approved by unanimous voice vote
►Board of Trustees' finance committee meeting now. Last time, it refused to vote to recommend tuition increase. This time, they approve it.
►U of L trustees are considering 2016-17 budget at budget workshop
►Acting president Neville Pinto proposes raising tuition in 2016-17 by 5 percent, but with no increase in the following school year
►Tuition per semester would go from $5,271 to $5,534
►Student trustee says students are uncertain about governance
►Pinto says taking away the 5 percent tuition increase already in effect would throw university into disarray
►13 trustees are present, enough for a quorum
Earlier coverage
The Kentucky Justice Resource Center's request stemmed from a lawsuit it filed last year challenging the authority of the old board appointed by former Gov. Steve Beshear because that board has an insufficient number of minority members. That case ended in a settlement with Gov. Matt Bevin who was expected to correct its racial imbalance by making new appointments to the board. Instead Bevin corrected the racial imbalance by abolishing that board and appointed a new, smaller board that conformed to state law's racial balance requirements.
Attorney General Andy Beshear has filed suit contesting Bevin’s power to abolish the old board and appoint a new one, and Shepherd granted a temporary injunction in that case that reinstates the old board and bars the Bevin-appointed board from making decisions for U of L until a final ruling in the case.
Bevin has appealed the temporary injunction order, saying the former board was illegally constituted and dysfunctional.
The Justice Resource Center filed a motion late Wednesday asking that, under terms of the settlement in its case, that the old U of L board be blocked from making significant decisions at Thursday's meeting because it does not have sufficient minority representation.
But Shepherd said from the bench, and later in his order, that it will take time for the courts to finally resolve which board has authority to oversee the university.
And Shepherd repeated his suggestion that parties in the lawsuits and members of both boards meet to reach a joint agreement on how to manage the university until a final court ruling.
"Both boards are composed of capable, public spirited people of good faith, and this court has no doubt that the leadership and membership of these respective boards are capable of crafting an interim operating agreement," Shepherd wrote.
Tom Loftus, @TomLoftus_CJ1:57 p.m. EDT August 25, 2016
set to meet at 1:30 p.m. Thursday in the University Club.
Shepherd said that the Kentucky Justice Resource Center had raised "a very legitimate issue." But that the U of L Board stands to "suffer great harm" if it does not have authority to steer the university until all legal issues surrounding its authority are resolved.
"The University requires a budget. The University must address student tuition," Shepherd wrote.
UPDATES FROM THE MEETING
►Pinto: Fall enrollment looking very good: Expect to be 21,500 students, 311 more than last year. 2900 freshman, average ACT 25.5, 3.6 GPA
►This will be first meeting of the old board since March 1 when Ramsey "no confidence vote" was blocked on procedural grounds
►Goes into executive session to discuss routine promotions, tenure decisions
►Personnel committee of BOT is meeting now
►Operating budget for 2016-17 is approved by unanimous voice vote
►Board of Trustees' finance committee meeting now. Last time, it refused to vote to recommend tuition increase. This time, they approve it.
►U of L trustees are considering 2016-17 budget at budget workshop
►Acting president Neville Pinto proposes raising tuition in 2016-17 by 5 percent, but with no increase in the following school year
►Tuition per semester would go from $5,271 to $5,534
►Student trustee says students are uncertain about governance
►Pinto says taking away the 5 percent tuition increase already in effect would throw university into disarray
►13 trustees are present, enough for a quorum
Earlier coverage
The Kentucky Justice Resource Center's request stemmed from a lawsuit it filed last year challenging the authority of the old board appointed by former Gov. Steve Beshear because that board has an insufficient number of minority members. That case ended in a settlement with Gov. Matt Bevin who was expected to correct its racial imbalance by making new appointments to the board. Instead Bevin corrected the racial imbalance by abolishing that board and appointed a new, smaller board that conformed to state law's racial balance requirements.
Attorney General Andy Beshear has filed suit contesting Bevin’s power to abolish the old board and appoint a new one, and Shepherd granted a temporary injunction in that case that reinstates the old board and bars the Bevin-appointed board from making decisions for U of L until a final ruling in the case.
Bevin has appealed the temporary injunction order, saying the former board was illegally constituted and dysfunctional.
The Justice Resource Center filed a motion late Wednesday asking that, under terms of the settlement in its case, that the old U of L board be blocked from making significant decisions at Thursday's meeting because it does not have sufficient minority representation.
But Shepherd said from the bench, and later in his order, that it will take time for the courts to finally resolve which board has authority to oversee the university.
And Shepherd repeated his suggestion that parties in the lawsuits and members of both boards meet to reach a joint agreement on how to manage the university until a final court ruling.
"Both boards are composed of capable, public spirited people of good faith, and this court has no doubt that the leadership and membership of these respective boards are capable of crafting an interim operating agreement," Shepherd wrote.
