head coaches. The women's sports programs have a total of five assistant coaches. Out of the five assistant coaches for the women's teams four (80%) were female and one (20%) assistant coach was male.

Three out of four categories reported by Kentucky State in the 2022-23 EADA Report of head and assistant coach salaries the men's sports programs receive higher compensation than head and assistant coaches of women's sports programs. It appears reasonable to ask the University's Office of Human Resources to undertake a functional review of all coaching positions and analyze the qualifications of the current coaching staff to determine whether compensation differences are based on experience, education, longevity, success or other non-gender factors.

Given that only one head coach (football) has a multi-year contract there should be a review of all head coach contracts and/or letters of appointment including a review of incentives and perquisites to ensure equity in head coaching positions.

The visibility of the athletics facilities plays a crucial role in how the athletics program is perceived by prospective recruits, current students, and external stakeholders, including community members, donors, and visiting teams. These facilities serve as a representation of the university's commitment to a successful athletics program.

The athletics facilities at Kentucky State are below the standard for a competitive Division II program and limit the athletics program's ability to provide a safe and quality experience for the university's 300+ student-athletes. As noted in the Athletics Program Review, there are notable challenges with the quality of facilities utilized for practice and competition, and also with the size and quality of facilities used for athletic training and strength and conditioning for the student-athletes. In some cases, there are safety and risk management concerns due to the condition of the facilities. Many facility spaces are shared, and some facilities are located off-campus, creating challenges with available practice times and transportation issues.

It is beyond the scope of this Athletics Feasibility Study to perform a comprehensive review and comparison of Kentucky State's athletics facilities with other Division II and peer institutions. However, it is apparent that many of the athletics facilities are in disrepair and have not been well-maintained. There is an urgent need to invest in upgrades and renovations to the existing facilities to ensure their continued usability and to mitigate safety and risk factors.

It is strongly recommended that an Athletics Facilities Master Plan be developed to include deferred maintenance, renovations or expansion of existing athletics facilities and potentially building new on-campus facilities. Ideally, the athletics plan should be created in concert with the University's Master Facilities Plan and as part of a capital fund-raising campaign.

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