Editor’s note: The following editorial reflects the opinions of the Kentucky Kernel’s editorial board and does not necessarily represent the views of the University of Kentucky or its administration.
This summer at the University of Kentucky has been anything but quiet. In just a few months, UK has replaced two deans, disbanded its Office for Community Relations, dealt with two campus arson investigations, approved a 3% tuition hike, suspended an assistant coach and seen former student Sophia Rosing released from jail early. Through all of this, though, President
The Kentucky Kernel Editorial Board editor@kykernel.com
Eli Capilouto has demonstrated that he can act decisively when he chooses.
He was ahead of the Trump administration and the Kentucky General Assembly in dismantling the university’s diversity, equity and inclusion programs (DEI), a deft move that revealed his ability to anticipate political headwinds as well as any university president in the nation.
So, the Kernel cannot understand why an administration capable of handling DEI retrenchment with such calculated foresight and control struggles so mightily with something as basic as public records.
This pattern of silence is especially troubling because transparency matters to everyone on campus.
Students, faculty and the public rely on timely access to official records to understand decisions that effect tuition, safety and daily life.
Under the Kentucky Open Records Act, agencies like UK are required to respond promptly, provide clear legal reasons for any denial and disclose information unless a specific exemption applies.
Yet, UK continues to exploit gray areas and issue vague refusals, especially when the subject reflects poorly on the institution and sometimes even when it doesn’t.
The Kentucky Kernel editorial board
UK allowed him to resign while under investigation. Capilouto claimed the Kernel was publishing “salacious details” and initially refused to release the investigation documents.
The Kernel sued under the Open Records Act. Six years later—in 2021— the Kentucky Supreme Court ruled unanimously that UK could not withhold the records entirely.
Reconsider the pattern.
Former UK swim coach Lars Jorgensen was able to retire in June 2024 while under a Title IX investigation and facing a federal lawsuit accusing him of fostering a sexually hostile environment.
Once more, the university provided vagueness instead of accountability.
The pattern continues.
In September 2024, an alleged sexual assault was reported in Chellgren Hall. The Kernel requested open records from UK, including data from the dorm’s check-in system, to determine whether non-UK student Chase McGuire was checked in as a guest during the assault.
UK denied the record request, “considered an invasion of personal privacy.” After seven months, the Kernel received the records, which showed McGuire checked into the dorm during
the alleged assault period. Notice the pattern.
Now, this summer, similar delays and roadblocks continued with multiple other requests
On June 6, an email sent to faculty by Provost Robert S. DiPaola confirmed Rosalie Mainous was no longer serving as dean of the College of Nursing.
University spokesperson Jay Blanton declined to provide a reason, saying, “As a matter of policy, we don’t talk about personnel matters.”
The Kernel submitted an open records request on June 19 seeking the complete personnel files of Padraic Kenney and Rosalie Mainous, including any records reflecting changes in employment status, roles, compensation, or related investigations.
The university provided the documents on July 3, two weeks later, but the reason for the dean’s departure remains unclear.
According to Kentucky law, agencies must respond in writing within five business days, and the university did notify us within that period that our request would take longer to process.
Have you recognized the pattern?
On July 14, the Kernel requested records regarding Champions Blue LLC, a $141 million new athletics holding
Regents or the Athletic Department. Financial statements on initiation funds, including loans and their sources.
On July 21, UK responded that it was “waiting to hear from one of the attorneys in the Legal Office before we can proceed.” The Kernel appealed the university’s response to the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office (AG).
On July 25, the AG extended the decision deadline to Sept. 8, citing an “unmanageable increase in the number of appeals.”
The pattern is unmistakable.
From Harwood to Jorgensen, from Chellgren Hall to removing deans, to Champions Blue, the university has repeatedly chosen opacity over accountability, delay over disclosure and convenience over compliance.
Our editorial board is not asking for favors. We are demanding compliance. UK must stop treating open records as optional.
It must provide access fully, promptly and in accordance with state law. Compliance is not optional, and neither is accountability.
UK also needs to stop allowing professors or coaches to resign while under Title IX investigation, using secrecy to shield misconduct from public scrutiny.
Kentucky law is clear: transparency is not optional.
The Open Records Act exists to protect the public’s right to know, not the university’s image.
Compliance is mandatory, and accountability is nonnegotiable.
UK must choose between continuing to hide behind delays or embrace transparency and integrity and finally break the pattern.
University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto gives a speech during the Board of Trustees meeting on Friday, June 13, 2025, at UK in Lexington, Ky.
PHOTO BY CARA RAIFORD | STAFF
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From the editor .. From behind the camera to the editor’s desk
By Giana Gallo editor@kykernel.com
Walk across campus on any given day and you’ll see it: students walking with their heads down, eyes locked on their screens. I’ve been one of them.
Technology has become an extension of who we are, and in my case, it is also the tool I use to tell stories. I’ve filmed interviews, shot B-roll, and scrolled for inspiration while walking from class to class. I remember one afternoon filming a student interview while waiting for a friend at the Student Center. Halfway through, I realized how many people walked by without noticing what was happening right in front of them.
That moment reminded me why storytelling matters. It helps us pause, observe, and connect.
When I joined the Kentucky Kernel two years ago, I was part of a small broadcast team producing just 47 videos a year. Today, we’ve created hundreds, from 30-second reels to full-length documentaries, with some reaching tens of thousands of viewers.
We have not only grown our audience, we’ve launched awardwinning podcasts, and brought home 24 national video awards. Now, I am honored to lead the Kernel as the first Editor-in-Chief in its history to come from a broadcast background.
storytelling are not separate efforts but parts of one larger mission.
JONES
A story can live in many forms: an article, a podcast, a TikTok, a video interview. Each one can reach someone new. My goal this year is to merge those forms into a seamless, fully integrated newsroom where print, broadcast, and digital
The Kernel has been the voice of the University of Kentucky since 1908 and proudly independent since 1972. That legacy is our foundation. Our future is built on adapting to how people consume stories now, in the moment, across platforms, every day and every hour.
I will lead with the same philosophy that has brought us this far. Comfort is the enemy of progress. This year, we will take risks, push boundaries, and make sure the stories of our campus are
told in ways that are as bold and dynamic as the people living them. Yes, I want you to look up from your phone and see what is happening right in front of you. But when you do look down, I want you to find journalism worth your time, whether that is a breaking news update, a photo gallery, or a video that captures a moment you might have missed.
You might see us on your screen, but I hope you’ll look up to see the world unfolding, and when you do, the Kentucky Kernel will be there to make sure you don’t miss it.
PHOTO BY CARA RAIFORD | STAFF
Students are paying
tuition, student ticket costs increase
By Casey Sebastiano news@kykernel.com
Students at the University of Kentucky will be paying more in the 2025-26 school year than years prior following a number of budget approvals.
The university has increased the price of tuition and mandatory fees as well as basketball and football student tickets.
In June of this year, UK’s Board of Trustees approved a 3% increase in tuition and mandatory fees for the upcoming academic year, marking the second consecutive increase.
In-state, full-time, undergraduate students paid $6,751 in tuition and mandatory fees each semester before FAFSA, grants and scholarships were applied during the 2024-25 year, according to UK. Out-ofstate, full-time, undergraduate students paid $17,070.
Following the 3% increase, in-state, full-time, undergraduate students will owe $6,953.50 in tuition and mandatory fees before scholarships for the 202526 year. Out-of-state, full-time, undergraduate students will now be charged $17,582.50.
An undergraduate student is considered full-time when they are enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits. Part-time students, enrolled in nine credits or less,
pay per credit hour taken.
In the 2024-25 academic year, in-state students paid $553 per credit hour and out-of-state students paid $1,364.50 per credit hour. According to the 2025-26 tuition and mandatory fees schedule, each semester of the academic year, part-time students will be charged $570.50 in-state and $1,455.50 out-of-state per credit hour.
In April of 2025, tuition and mandatory fee ceilings were approved barring an increase of more than 5% by the end of the 2026-27 academic year. This ceiling also prevents tuition and mandatory fees from being increased by more than 3.3% in a single year.
Tuition and mandatory fees have been on a steady increase for years.
Some students who may be gearing up for their senior year at UK after arriving on campus in 2022 have seen an average of an 8.6% increase in tuition and mandatory fees during their time at UK, according to the university’s academic year tuition and mandatory fees schedules.
In addition to increased tuition and fees, student sporting event ticket pricing also increased for the 2025-26 school year.
For the 2025 football season, student season passes cost $145. This is a 61% increase from the 2024 season pass price of $90, according to WKYT.
Season pass prices have increased 72% for Mark Pope’s second season as the UK men's basketball’s head coach
from $200 a pass to $345.
Single game tickets, while prices range, have increased from costing between $11 and $20, to anywhere between $15 and $40. At a minimum, single game ticket prices increased by 36%.
Although tuition and mandatory fees and student sports season passes are being increased, parking pass costs remain the same. According to UKNow, most residential permits cost $504 for the year, the same as they did for the last two school years. Residential periphery parking (RK) costs $272 for the year, but can be bought per semester for $136. Remote parking permits cost $168.
University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto talks with families during Big Blue Move-in on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, at UK in Lexington, Ky. PHOTO BY CARA RAIFORD | STAFF
Adah Hufana news@kykernel.com
The University of Kentucky has disbanded its Office for Community Relations one year after its creation, according to university President Eli Capilouto.
Capilouto announced in a message on UKNow that the functions of the Office for Community Relations, which contained learning programs for older adults like the Donovan Scholars and the university’s public radio station WUKY, “will be reassigned to other appropriate units” on Monday, Aug. 4.
The Office for Institutional Diversity at UK was disbanded in August 2024, almost a year before Kentucky legislators
banned diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives from public universities in House Bill 4, which became state law in March 2025. In the same announcement of its disbanding, the Office for Community Relations was introduced.
According to Blanton, the recent disbanding of the Office for Community Relations did not have anything to do with House Bill 4.
“We were in compliance with House Bill 4 and we remain in compliance with House Bill 4,” Blanton said. “This move was part of a larger series of moves that have been underway for some time.”
Blanton said there is a current
programs and services to maximize the university’s effectiveness and efficiency.
President Capilouto said the initiative will continue over the next 12 to 18 months.
"We were in compliance with House Bill 4 and we remain in compliance with House Bill 4."
– UK SPOKESPERSON JAY BLANTON
“The university has done that a number of times over the last several
programs was shifted to support the success of all students rather than specific groups.
When the Office for Institutional Diversity was disbanded, WUKY and lifelong learning programs were moved from it to the Office for Community Relations.
Blanton said the disbanding of the office will not result in any job loss for its employees. The lifelong learning programs are moving to the Office for Student Success and WUKY is moving to the Office of University Relations.
Katrice Albert, former vice president of community relations, worked in what Blanton described as “town-gown” relations, referring to the relationships between communities across the state
Albert moved from the position of vice president of community relations to
Capilouto said Albert’s new role will involve her preparing a study of how the university can better establish community partnerships to “advance health, workforce development and educational attainment across
The Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration, Eric Monday, will also take steps to strengthen government and university relations as the university increasingly interacts with lawmakers, Capilouto said.
“Collectively, these efforts to further integrate important services speak to our commitment to focus even more intently on how … to do more than any institution in the country in advancing the health of the state and the people we
UK summer crime roundup
Sammy Wynn news@kykernel.com
Since classes ended in May, several crime-related instances involving the University of Kentucky occurred.
Sophia Rosing released
On June 25, it was revealed that former UK student Sophia Rosing was released from jail on May 11, according to the Kentucky Kernel.
The Kentucky Department of Corrections told WKYT that Rosing was released after serving seven months of her 12-month sentence for good time and pre-sentence credit.
Rosing was convicted in October 2024 on four counts of fourth-degree assault, one count of disorderly conduct and one count of alcohol intoxication, for which she was sentenced to 12 months in jail, 100 community service hours and a $25 fine after pleading guilty in her trial, according to the Kernel.
Rosing was banned from the university’s campus shortly following the incident.
Vehicle fires
A crime bulletin was sent via email on June 9, detailing an ongoing police investigation into a vehicle fire on the university's campus.
The Lexington Fire Department quickly extinguished the fire in a parking lot behind Memorial Hall on June 8.
Preliminary investigations showed an “unknown subject” approaching a Nissan Altima and “intention-
ally” setting it on fire, according to University of Kentucky’s Police Department (UKPD).
The incident is still under investigation by UKPD and UK Fire Marshals.
A second vehicle fire occurred on July 6, in a parking lot behind Linden Walk, according to the crime bulletin sent on July 7.
The investigation showed an unknown subject approaching a Ford van and “intentionally” setting it on fire, according to UKPD.
UK Strategic Communications Associate Director Dani Jaffe, said there is no connection between the fires.
A man was later arrested for the second fire in the parking lot off Linden Walk.
Campus camera footage allowed UKPD to identify and arrest 31-year-old Santosh Sharma for second-degree arson.
Sharma pleaded guilty in June 2023 to attempted arson at the Mary Todd Lincoln House where he was found pouring gasoline on the house, according to WKYT.
Along with video footage of Sharma and the evidence of two empty containers of lighter fluid left at the scene, UKPD said they were able to quickly identify Sharma and arrest him.
UK launches new SafeZone app
Abigail Wright news@kykernel.com
The University of Kentucky launched a new campus safety app called SafeZone on July 10, offering enhanced features designed to improve emergency communication and students’ safety.
According to WUKY, SafeZone replaced the previously used LiveSafe app and offers students one-touch access to request immediate police assistance at their location, submit anonymous tips and request late-night police escorts. The app’s features include submitting photo or video tips to the
UK Police Department (UKPD) for suspicious activity or malfunctioning traffic signals and requesting emergency or medical assistance, according to UKPD.
The app also has a check-in feature that allows UKPD to monitor a user’s location, providing a virtual escort until the user reaches their destination safely. Additionally, UKPD works with UK Alerts to provide alerts via texts, phone calls and in-app messaging.
According to UKPD, faculty and staff must download SafeZone and register a phone number to continue receiving UK Alerts, while students with a registered phone number in
myUK will automatically receive them.
The app is available for free download on Apple and Android devices.
Learn more here.
Former UK student Sophia Rosing walks into her sentencing on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at the Robert F. Stephens Circuit Courthouse in Lexington, Kentucky.
PHOTO BY ABBEY CUTRER | STAFF
University of Kentucky (UK) President Eli Capilouto poses for a picture with UK students during Big Blue Move-in on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, at UK in Lexington, Ky.
PHOTO BY CARA RAIFORD | STAFF
University of Kentucky families help their student pack their carts in the loading zone during Big Blue Move-in on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, at UK in Lexington, Ky.
PHOTO BY CARA RAIFORD | STAFF
Student workers help move luggage in the loading zone during Big Blue Move-in on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky.
PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN KANTOSKY | PHOTO EDITOR
University of Kentucky families help their student move into their dorms during Big Blue Move-in on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, at UK in Lexington, Ky.
PHOTO BY CARA RAIFORD | STAFF
to Jay Blanton, UK’s spokesperson.
Nick Tenhundfeld news@kykernel.com
More than 6,000 students moved into the University of Kentucky’s 19 residence halls during Big Blue Movein for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year.
The previous record was held by 2024’s first-year enrollment, which was 6,571 freshmen, representing a 2% increase from 2023, according to UKNow.
Blanton said the official freshman enrollment number for fall 2025 will be announced in September when the Board of Trustees meets.
“We welcome them (students) to the university, and I hope they have a wonderful and successful school semester.”
– CUSTODIAN WALTER ROBINSON
From Aug. 17-20, more than 600 volunteers and 400 facility management staff were sta tioned outside dorms.
Officially called the “Wildcat Welcome Team,” they directed traffic and assisted Wildcats, new and old, as they settled into their new homes.
The incoming freshmen class set a new enrollment record with over 6,500 students estimated for the fall semester, according
Walter Robinson, a custodian staff member, has volunteered at Big Blue Move-In for the past six years. He helped move items from students’ cars to their new dorm rooms during their 30-minute appointment windows at Holmes Hall.
“My role is to keep these cars rolling, get these people moving so everyone can get home,” Robinson said. “We welcome them (students) to the university, and I hope they have a wonderful and successful school semester.”
Seeing students’ smiling faces as they embark on a new semester is Robinson’s favorite part of being on the Wildcat Welcome Team.
“Glad to see them come, more happy to see them go,” Robinson said.
Students started moving into dorms
Sunday morning, including incoming freshman Ashley DeVries, who moved from Oakland Township, Mich. and is a pre-law major.
“I kind of liked it (UK) because they say that when you go to a school, you’ll know if it’s the right one, and you know that feeling. That’s what I had,” DeVries said.
fan, so I said I would look into UK just as an option, and I really enjoyed the campus and what UK had to offer,” DeVries said.
"They say that when you go to a school, you’ll know if it’s the right one, and you know that feeling. That’s what I had."
– INCOMING FRESHMAN ASHLEY DEVRIES
DeVries said her choice was also influenced by the dorms, cost of attending and her dad.
“My dad’s a really big UK basketball
Being on her own for the first time, DeVries said she is nervous being six hours away from home, but is ready to adjust to living independently.
“I’m excited to try new things and make friends. Get the whole new state experience,” DeVries said. “Back in Michigan, I was stuck doing swimming all the time, competitively, but since I quit that, I can try new things now.”
Parents help move furniture in the loading zone during Big Blue Move-in on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky.
PHOTO BY CHRISTIAN KANTOSKY | PHOTO EDITOR
People walk through the loading zone during Big Blue Move-in on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky.
Olivia Griffin, a student worker, helps push carts during Big Blue Move-in on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky.
UK MONITORS INTERNATIONAL STUDENT VISA DEVELOPMENTS
Sammy Wynn news@kykernel.com
The University of Kentucky will continue to monitor federal developments concerning international students and plans to comply with federal regulations regarding their status, according to UK Spokesperson Jay Blanton
In early April, the federal government, under an executive order by President Donald Trump, began revoking student visas, and by April 18, 2025, over 1,000 international students had their visas or legal status revoked, according to the Associated Press.
UK President Eli Capilouto sent a message earlier that month to the campus community stating that a small number of UK students had their F1 student visas revoked by the Department of Homeland Security; this decision was reversed several weeks later.
Blanton said UK is regularly updating its website to track federal changes for all students, ensuring that international students receive timely and transparent information about student visas and other national developments at the collegiate level.
"The relationship between China and the U.S is pretty unstable, but leave college alone and leave the students alone, let them go to school, let them study and let them get educated.”
– UK SOPHOMORE YAOYANG ZHONG
“We, like everyone else, are monitoring the directives that are coming out of the state department and other areas of the federal government,” Blanton said. “We’ll (UK) comply with the law, we’ll comply with the direction from the government, and we’ll work with students to support them.”
According to Blanton, UK will not make independent decisions for international students; instead, they are providing the students with the necessary information to make their own decisions regarding their status.
Blanton said the university “cannot comment” on if international students will be forced to leave UK.
In May 2025, a statement was
released from the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, which stated that the Office of Homeland Security would “aggressively” revoke F1 visas for Chinese students with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or those studying in “critical fields.”
of being denied re-entry to the U.S. or transferring back to a school in Hong Kong.
“We’ll (UK) comply with the law, we’ll comply with the direction from the government, and we’ll work with students to support them.”
UK sophomore YaoYang Zhong, a finance major from Hong Kong, is an international student.
–UK SPOKESPERSON JAY BLANTON
“I have to choose education, and that's what my family wants me to do,” Zhong said. “It's pretty hard to choose, because I don't want this to happen, but I got no choice.”
After watching the Trump administration target international students from China, Zhong said he is unsure of his future in Kentucky Zhong said he feels confident in his return to UK this year. However, he made arrangements to stay in Kentucky for the remainder of his collegiate experience in fear of not being able to return to the U.S. if he were to go home.
According to Zhong, it will be challenging to spend years away from his family, but it's the only way to complete his degree without fear
Growing up in Hong Kong, Zhong said he has seen tension between China and the U.S. for his whole life.
However, he said he believes the governments should focus on the root of their issues instead of restricting their citizens' access to international education.
“This is just a government thing, so leave the students alone, we just want to study and we just want to learn,” Zhong said. “The relationship between China and the U.S is pretty unstable, but leave college alone and leave the students alone, let them go to school, let them study and let them get educated.”
LESSONS FOR A LIFETIME:
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT REFLECTS ON HER TIME AT UK
Hannah Piedad features@kykernel.com
It’s the little things that make home, home. Little quirks, once skimmed over by college students in their day-to-day life, are now missed when they move from home and enter a new chapter of life.
For University of Kentucky student Anna Bollis, home is the feeling of her
cats, Raimundo and Frederico, on her bed while she drifts to sleep, a sentiment connecting Kentucky with her home in São Paulo, Brazil.
A junior studying mechanical engineering and math, Bollis said she has faced both challenges and triumphs during her academic journey as an international student.
According to Bollis, her family has
served as a constant anchor in her life and has fully supported her pursuit of an education abroad. Bollis said her father was the one who originally encouraged her to apply to UK, after he “fell in love” with the university during a work trip to Kentucky.
“He was like, ‘If you are applying for international schools, you need to apply to UK,’” Bollis said.
Bollis said her father stayed with her during her first two weeks at UK to help her with the move, organizing her room and shopping for essentials while she attended university events.
“That helped me a lot,” Bollis said. “I could go to orientation and K Week events without worrying about my housing stuff.”
Although most of her time at UK has been filled with newfound friends and opportunities, Bollis said the beginning of her academic career
was challenging due to language barrier obstacles.
“I had one month that I literally just went to class, (sat) there and didn't understand one word,” Bollis said. In lecture spaces holding hundreds of students, Bollis said she would sometimes feel isolated in her struggles.
“Sometimes I would be surrounded by people and (feel like) I didn't have anyone to talk to,” Bollis said. However, the feeling of seclusion eventually disappeared once Bollis found fellow peers in her apartment complex who took the same class and could help with the language barrier.
“When I realized they could help me, that was the moment that I was like, ‘Okay, hey, I can do it. I can handle it,’” Bollis said. “ I would spend five days of the week with them, and I'm so glad that they were there for me.”
That support, along with support from UK’s international student community was something Bollis said was important for her, and has since inspired her to be there for other international students.
Now a member of the International Students Leadership Team, Bollis said she now gets the chance to give students the support she had when entering college, helping them take the first steps in their college careers.
“I want to give them the feeling that I had during my orientation,” Bollis said. “ I want to be the person that will make them feel great.”
University of Kentucky International Center on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, at UK in Lexington, Ky.
PHOTO BY CARA RAIFORD | STAFF
Campus parking zones are marked on a map during move-in week at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky. PHOTO PROVIDED | UK TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
WHITE HALL RENOVATIONS CONTINUE UNTIL NEXT FALL
Sylvia Freire news@kykernel.com
Construction remains familiar on the University of Kentucky’s campus this year as White Hall, a classroom building on central campus, continues its renovation process.
Originally reported by the Kentucky Kernel as a $75 million project, the renovation has since increased to $82 million.
The renovation project began in May 2024 and is scheduled to end in the fall of 2026.
White Hall holds around 50 classrooms and is located on central campus, according to the Kentucky Kernel.
The building holds hundreds of classes daily and shares a basement with Patterson Office Tower.
According to Angela Walton, senior
Opinion:
opinions@kykernel.com
Current and incoming students at the University of Kentucky fight for the opportunity of obtaining an on-campus parking pass every July.
Some people suggest that the university should stop allowing freshmen to bring their cars to campus. However, does this solution just sound good in theory, or is it possible?
There are currently, give or take, 9,600 student parking spaces available at UK. However, there are around 24,000 students enrolled in an undergraduate program. About 6,000 of those students are freshmen as of 2024.
According to Lance Broeking, the director of Transportation Services, taking away freshmen’s ability to bring their car to university would not fix the parking crisis, but instead bring more issues to the university.
Broeking says housing and parking go hand and hand. If you change the parking on campus, the living situation for campus would drastically change.
GreyStar (the third-party UK uses for on campus housing) does not mandate occupancy for on campus housing. So, the university has to advertise the lifestyle of on-campus living well.
“If UK said ‘on campus resident freshman can’t bring a car to campus’ students would say ‘well I’m going to go live somewhere else because I need my car,’ so UK would have to fill that empty bed,” Broeking said.
Maybe taking away freshman’s rights to bring their cars to campus is not the right solution for UK. So, what is?
project manager, the renovation aims to increase collaborative spaces, improve ADA accessibility and modernize HVAC systems.
“We’re putting in a lift so now big auditoriums are going to be accessible not only from the main corridors, but from the spine of the buildings,” Walton said. “That spine is also going to function as an additional collaboration space.”
The building will also have a micromarket, giving students food and vending options, as well as an outdoor learning area to “enhance students’ experiences,” Walton said.
According to Kevin Locke, assistant vice president of planning, design and construction, new asset preservation funds were available in 2022, meant for renovating and preserving buildings on campus.
“When we found out that we were getting that portion of money, the conversation came around executive
leadership of what would be the best use of that money,” Locke said. “The executive leadership said it should be student-focused.”
According to Locke, White Hall renovations were originally difficult due to classroom shifts to other locations on campus, which would cause lots of disruption.
“We brought it (White Hall) forward anyway, and we said, 'Well, this will have the most impact on students,’ and executive leadership said, 'We’re going to do it, and we’re going to do it fast,’” Locke said.
The White Hall renovation is a twoyear project, starting with demolition and now interior construction.
“It was a big deal to get that (White Hall renovation) to happen so that the building is totally unoccupied and we could get it done in two years, as opposed to three years,” Locke said. “It turned out to be what we called our poster child for
Possible solution
By Sylvia Freire opinions@kykernel.com
Parking, regardless of the quantity of students at UK, can’t be changed overnight, especially with how parking is already centralized on campus.
Many students blame this situation on the influx of students that come with each freshman class, increasing every year. However, this isn’t the main concern that should be investigated.
With the rising number of freshmen every year, we can’t continue blaming UK’s student population sizes when they have always been large.
With this in mind, transportation services should reconsider how parking passes are distributed, rather than solely blaming future students.
Before parking passes are given out, students should be able to submit
a survey application that is designed to understand necessity over desire. This would then prioritize factors such as seniority, distance, student status and anything that could be a factor in why a student needs a specific parking pass. By allowing this, UK can also take in new data that can help identify whether or not a new parking garage would be a solution or rather an unnecessary expenditure of money to be used.
After collecting said data, there would then be timed parking pass purchasing times that would be given to students based on necessity. This would create a fairer situation for students who may need this more than others, even if it creates unsettling feelings.
These situations take time and a lot of processing before finally being enacted, and in this case, starting the motion of a new action plan to have future classes at UK see improved parking situations.
asset preservation because it's affecting students.”
According to Locke, a majority of students, undergraduate and graduate, use White Hall and it is important to think of them while this project continues.
When thinking of previous alumni who have used White Hall, Locke said, the building needed this renovation since its last update in the ‘60s.
“When you walked into White Hall classroom building, there were people that were sitting on the floor,” Locke said. “There was no place to collaborate; the place was incredibly outdated.”
White Hall will continue being a “workhorse building” for classrooms, Locke said, but its main goal is to increase collaboration for both students and faculty members working in the space.
According to Walton, this included identifying reasonable accommodation and adjustments for students while this
classroom space is being renovated through a study they conducted.
“We have the area fenced off, like we did last year, and so with us having an interior renovation project, basically what we’re doing is within the confines of the fence and our construction deliveries on the back side of Patterson Drive,” Walton said. “So, I don’t know that there will be a whole lot of inconvenience for students.”
Students in the College of Engineering and the College of Design have engaged in the process of White Hall’s renovation, looking through the site, according to Walton, and have said they like what they are seeing with the renovation process.
“I think this is going to have a profound impact on students here. This is obviously a building that was in need of a renovation,” Locke said. “It’s really going to be a tremendous before-and-after renovation project for the university.”
