President Capilouto to Appear on WKYT’s Newsmakers

LEXINGTON, Ky (June 22, 2012) ― University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto says despite a challenging economy and tough decisions in UK’s upcoming budget, he is “very optimistic about our future.”

“If we start rebuilding our campus … investing in our people, I am confident we can grow this enterprise and grow revenues,” Capilouto told Bill Bryant during a taping of WKYT’s Newsmakers. The show airs at 11 a.m., Saturday, June 23. “We are trying to win that future for the Commonwealth.”

The half-hour interview represents Capilouto’s first extended comments since the Board of Trustees earlier this week overwhelmingly adopted a $2.6 billion budget for the fiscal year, beginning July 1. The budget contains millions more in investments in student scholarships and financial aid, makes plans for setting aside $15 million over the next two years for building priorities and contemplates lower tuition increases and a 5 percent merit raise pool for faculty and staff in 2013-2014.

Capilouto told Bryant that in a “new normal” of reduced state support -- $50 million in cuts since 2007 – UK cannot “hunker down and wait” for times to change or get better. “We have got to keep moving forward,” something he said is possible with investments in students, faculty and staff, and the facilities where students live and learn and teachers educate and make discoveries.

“We can’t sit here and throw in the towel,” he said. “We’ve got to look for other opportunities.”