Student Government Association Executive Board:
President Sias introduced the incoming members of the Student Government Association's Executive Board for 2014-15. Ms. Breana Smith, President-Elect; Robert Willis, Chief of Staff-Elect; Sylvia Valentine, First Vice-President-Elect were welcomed.
Ms. Smith was invited to briefly discuss her platform. The theme of her platform was "Choice, Chance and Change."
President Sias presented Regent Elgie McFayden, Jr., with an award for his 15 years of service as a faculty member at KSU.
President Sias asked Mr. Bergquist to provide an overview of the new website. Mr. Bergquist stated that the website now has a positive marketing message for the university. The new website was designed from a mobile perspective with a consistent layout, singular lines and columns. Fresh new content has been added and a rotating banner of "what makes KSU special" has been included. Approximately 20-25,000 visitors view the website each week.
President Sias and Mr. Stephen Mason, Sr., Chief of Staff provided an overview of the actions of the 2014 Kentucky Legislative Session. KSU's FY 2015 and FY 2016 approved budget appropriations are $23,429,600 annually. This amount is $107,800 below the FY 2014 appropriation. The Capital Budget for 2014-16 includes projects for the Boiler Plant (state bonds) at $10.4 million; construction of a pedestrian bridge across U.S. 60/Main Street (State Road Funds); and KSU Athletic Complex (agency bonds) at $5.4 million.
Land Grant Match: Kentucky is required to match 100% of federal land grant funds appropriated to KSU. Minimally, 50% must be matched by the state. Kentucky's current match is approximately 15%. For this reason, KSU will request a waiver of the match requirement from the federal government. As most of KSU's capital funding has come from federal land grant monies since 2008, KSU does not want to be out of match compliance. KSU receives $6.3 million for extension and research purposes.
According to Mr. Mason, KSU, unlike the University of Kentucky, Kentucky's other Land Grant institution, has no taxpayer funds to support its match requirement. Clearly, KSU does not wish to harm UK's funding. KSU also received $50,000 for 2014-15 for the KSU Health Initiative Trust Fund.
Senate Resolution 93 by Senator Gerald Neal recognized KSU and Simmons College for their historic roles in the education of African-Americans in Kentucky.