Anna Shepherd

Yea, a declaration of war or rural and central Kentucky hospitals. Here’s why the @universityofky doesn’t need additional research metrics, parity weights, or tiering…or whatever BS y’all want to call it… in Kentucky’s performance funding formula. UK and @uofl already benefit from preferential weights under the existing formula. In FY 2026, the two research universities received 69.9% of performance funding distributions despite accounting for 53.4% of adjusted net general funds. On top of that, UK reported more than $502 million in research awards in FY 2026, including approximately $290 million from federal agencies and $126.7 million in state research grants and contracts. Those state awards are separate from performance funding. Federal research grants also reimburse universities for overhead expenses. UK’s federally negotiated rate is 54% of eligible direct research costs, helping cover utilities, facilities, administration, and other expenses associated with conducting research. In other words, UK receives funding to conduct research and additional reimbursement for the institutional costs associated with conducting it. UK HealthCare also receives additional Medicaid reimbursement through graduate medical education and indirect medical education programs. Those payments are separate from research grants and the university’s performance funding allocation. We’re talking about federal research grants, federal overhead reimbursements, state research awards, preferential performance funding weights, and additional Medicaid payments through UK HealthCare. How many different ways are Kentucky taxpayers supposed to subsidize the same institution before someone starts asking whether we’re double or triple dipping? Before adding another research metric, increasing weights, or creating special funding tiers, @CPENews, @KYHouseGOP and @KYSenateGOP should request UK to account for what it already receives? How much federal overhead reimbursement does UK collect? What expenses are already covered? What additional costs justify giving UK a larger share of funding intended to support Kentucky’s public universities? Students at @murraystateuniv , @eku , @wku , @moreheadstate , @KyStateU and @nkuedu shouldn’t count for less simply because they don’t attend UK wants to empire build and run up Medicaid premiums. Yet, Kentucky’s performance workgroup is in midst of a bs delay tactic to allow others to whip proposals that would give the research universities another advantage in a formula that already favors them. No welfare weights for UK. Enough is enough for #UKY If do support the welfare weights, you might as well be a DSA socialist.

Today in #LegalHistory: On October 29, 1969 The Supreme Court orders immediate school desegregation. Equality for all.