KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY BOARD OF REGENTS

  • efficient use of existing courses, faculty expertise, and institutional resources, resulting in minimal new infrastructure requirements and no initial need for a new permanent faculty line;
  • the $298,895 in USDA/NIFA funding to support initial program development and implementation; and
  • a defined framework for monitoring enrollment, academic outcomes, program economics, and long-term post-grant sustainability.

Approval will allow the University to leverage already-awarded federal resources while expanding applied educational opportunities for students and strengthening KSU's contribution to agricultural workforce development and Kentucky's data-driven economy.

RECOMMENDED BOARD ACTION

President Koffi C. Akakpo, upon the recommendation of Academic Affairs leadership and following approval by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE), recommends that the Kentucky State University Board of Regents approve the establishment of the Agricultural & Business Data Science Undergraduate Certificate Program, a 15-credit-hour undergraduate certificate program, and authorize its implementation beginning in Spring 2027.

The proposed program will be supported during its initial three-year development and implementation period by approximately $298,895 in external funding from the USDA/NIFA 1890 Capacity Building Grants Program. Continuation of the program beyond the grant-funded period will be subject to the University's regular review of academic performance, enrollment demand, financial requirements, and long-term sustainability.

PROPOSED MOTION

I move that the Kentucky State University Board of Regents approve the establishment of the Agricultural & Business Data Science Undergraduate Certificate Program, a 15-credit-hour undergraduate certificate program, and authorize its implementation beginning in Spring 2027, with initial development and implementation supported by approximately $298,895 in funding from the USDA/NIFA 1890 Capacity Building Grants Program. Continuation beyond the grant-funded period shall be subject to the University's regular academic, enrollment, financial, and sustainability review.

Board of Regents Staff Report | Agricultural & Business Data Science Certificate Program