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OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

March 21, 2023

Ronald A. Johnson, PhD Interim President Kentucky State University 207 University Drive, Suite 201 Frankfort, Kentucky 40601

Ms. Farrah Petter Assistant State Auditor Auditor of Public Accounts 209 St. Clair Street Frankfort, Kentucky 40601

RE: Response to Special Audit Report

Dear Assistant Auditor Petter:

I begin by expressing my sincere appreciation and gratitude to you and your team at the Office of the Auditor of Public Accounts for the special audit of Kentucky State University and for providing me and my team with the draft report. Your diligent work in examining the University's accounts and activities during the specified three-year period (2018 – 2021) has been invaluable in identifying areas that require immediate attention and continuous improvement.

As the draft report indicates, several of the issues identified in the audit findings are pertinent to the period during which the prior president and his administration were responsible for the University's operations. As the current interim president of Kentucky State University, I assure you that my administration is committed to addressing the concerns outlined in the audit report and that the institution operates with the highest standards of transparency, accountability, and fiscal responsibility.

Many of the issues and recommendations cited in the audit report are parallel to those identified by the 2022 Kentucky General Assembly (22 RS HB 250). As a result, several remedies are already in progress through the ongoing implementation of our KSU Intended Future Plan, which seeks to restore, realign, and reignite the promise of a sustainable future for the institution through improved practices, policies, and a comprehensive focus on innovation.