Rate this HBCU Day 26: Kentucky State University

[DrBanneker]

We last covered the venerable Clark Atlanta University which received an average score of 8.

See the updated leaderboard here

Most people think Kentucky only has one HBCU when it has two--Simmons College is so small it has less than 200 students--so Kentucky HBCU always brings to mind Kentucky State University. Founded as a normal school (school for teachers) in 1886 it expanded as it became a land grant school in the 1890s and a full university after ditching a high school that had been attached to it. It expanded enrollment and courses, such as civil engineering in the 1920s, often to give Black students an option they were denied since they couldn't attend UK. Located in the capital of Frankfort, it has been known for having an impressive sports program and marching band for a school its size in NCAA Div II (SIAC). Like many other HBCUs, integration has slowly progressed so the Black population now is only 62% of the total.


However, Kentucky State University has had myriad financial problems in recent years that have overshadowed its successes. Nearly bankrupt in 2021, the Kentucky legislature gave it a $23M bail out connected with a bill stipulating state management and oversight to overhaul financial, operational, and academic aspects of the university. The university administration was largely sacked or quit with an interim president starting back in July 2022. Unfortunately this is not the first time it as had financial issues with financial crises in school histories going back to the 1920s and 1960s. Discriminatory state funding probably played a role but internal issues, especially recently, have been problematic. It is too early to tell how influential he (or a future permanent president) will be but it will likely require a visionary leadership such as at Claflin, Paul Quinn, and Bennett to help pull Kentucky State from the brink and put it on a hopefully upward trajectory.

https://www.thecoli.com/threads/hbcu-in-kentucky-has-financial-problems-might-shut-down.875429/

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The Pursuit of Excellence
Kentucky State University, 1886-2020
By John A. Hardin · 2021



Basic data (all data 2021 unless otherwise noted)

Founded: 1886

City, State: Frankfort, KY

Type: 4-year, Public

Nickname: Thorobreds and Thorobrettes

Enrollment and percent Black enrollment: 2,279 (2,135 undergraduate), 63% Black

Out of State Percentage: 62% (top states: Illinois, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Indiana)

Student-to-Faculty Ratio: 13:1

Admissions Acceptance Rate: 65%

4-yr/6-yr graduation rates: 21% / 38%

Transfer out rate: 33%

Male/Female percentages (Female:Male Ratio): 40% male / 60% female (1.5:1)

Tuition: In-state: $9k, Out-of-state: $13k

Median Debt After Graduation: $25,875
Median Earning 10-Years after 10 years from freshman year: $34,717

Median Earnings for specific majors after 3 years after graduation:
Nursing (bachelors) - $62k, Nursing (associates) - $57k, Business Administration: $39k, Education: $33k

Top Majors by Degrees:
Business Administration, Nursing, Education, Communication, Computer Science, Criminal Justice

Endowment: ~$16-18M

Alumni Engagement: 3% of alumni donate

Athletic Conference: SIAC (Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (NCAA Div II)

Mascot: Thorobred

Main Campus

The Mighty Marching Thorobreds

KSU Cheerleaders

K-Rettes Dance Team

Miss Kentucky State

@tru_m.a.c @bobbiewishbone
@ab.aspectus @Originalman @#1 pick @Ziggiy @SupaVillain @Tug life @Idaeo @get these nets @Smokee Robinson @MostReal @Tee @Bryan Danielson @Rollie Forbes @Willie Lump Lump @staticshock @Charlie Hustle @Karume @BigAggieLean. @Optimus Prime @How Sway? @DropTopDoc @TheKongoEmpire @Son_Of_God @Theolodius_Black @mson @xoxodede @Anerdyblackguy @EndDomination

 

[DrBanneker]

Notable Alumni:

Whitney M. Young Jr. - former long time leader of the National Urban League

Herb Trawick - first Black person in the Canadian Football League

Anna Mac Clarke - pioneering Black woman officer in the army; first woman officer on an all-White platoon

Moneeta Sleet Jr. - Pulitzer prize winning photographer for Ebony in the 60s

His Pulitzer Prize winning photo of Coretta Scott King at MLK's funeral

Yingluck Shinawatra - former prime minister of Thailand (did a masters in public administration in the 90s)

Spoiler: In other news...

LOL, she was the prime minister for part of Obama's time in office who gave him the semi-infamous 'look' when he was on his state visit there.

 

[DropTopDoc]

Late to the party but, they have a deep history, gotta be wild going to school in Kentucky, but i see they get a lot of Midwest kids, which makes sense it’s not far, and technically you down south, i always wondered why the Midwest/fring southern HBCU’s didn’t go hard for Midwest kids and the few chicks i met from there are literally built like their mascot a Thorobred

 

[get these nets]

KSU’s new president shares his goals​

June 15, 2023

Michele Young





FRANKFORT, Ky. — After years of economic and educational turmoil, Kentucky State University has a new president in Dr. Koffi Akakpo. He will serve as the first permanent president the university’s had since July 2021.

---

In two weeks, Akakpo will begin his presidential duties at KSU. He has 16 years of higher education leadership under his belt, with a mindset of putting students first.


“It’s an opportunity that I don’t take lightly,” said Akakpo.


Akakpo’s leadership career began in 2003 at Central State University, a Historically Black College and University in Ohio. In 2007, he was appointed by Ohio’s governor to serve as the department secretary and director of the Department of Natural Resources.


Most recently, he served as the president and chief executive officer of Bluegrass Community and Technical College. Since 2019, he’s added several expanded programs and increased graduation rates.


“The job at BCTC is not completely done, but I’m so proud of the team that we have in place. Coming to KSU, I’m very excited,” said Akakpo.


For Akakpo, being back at an HBCU means following his passion.


He already has several goals ahead of his July 1 start date, including getting a handle on the university’s budget. This March, the state auditor’s office shared 20 findings that highlight financial issues at the university from 2018 to 2021. The findings include more than $3 million in federal grant funds being at risk.


“The very first thing is to look at the budget and address the situation pretty quickly,” he explained.


“The next thing is to work with the campus community to come up with a good internal control system. Strengthening the internal control system will allow us to avoid this problem in the future. Third — build the foundation for enrollment growth. We need a strong enrollment at Kentucky State University,” said Akapo.


The U.S. Department of Education reports KSU has a graduation rate of 33% with 1,700 students. Akakpo says raising that number will require the collaboration of many local and state leaders for added resources to HBCU’s.


“I’m going to engage our elected officials, our community, our business partners, our alumni, our volunteers and people who care for this intuition. I will be on the roads, I will be talking to as many people as I can so together, we can take this intuition to the next level,” said Akakpo.


Kentucky lawmakers passed House Bill 250 last April that sets aside $23 million to help KSU cover the budget shortfalls with another $15 million from the Council on Postsecondary Education. The last action on it was April 2022 when Gov. Andy Beshear (D) signed the bill

 

[DrBanneker]

KSU’s new president shares his goals​

June 15, 2023

Michele Young





FRANKFORT, Ky. — After years of economic and educational turmoil, Kentucky State University has a new president in Dr. Koffi Akakpo. He will serve as the first permanent president the university’s had since July 2021.

---

In two weeks, Akakpo will begin his presidential duties at KSU. He has 16 years of higher education leadership under his belt, with a mindset of putting students first.


“It’s an opportunity that I don’t take lightly,” said Akakpo.


Akakpo’s leadership career began in 2003 at Central State University, a Historically Black College and University in Ohio. In 2007, he was appointed by Ohio’s governor to serve as the department secretary and director of the Department of Natural Resources.


Most recently, he served as the president and chief executive officer of Bluegrass Community and Technical College. Since 2019, he’s added several expanded programs and increased graduation rates.


“The job at BCTC is not completely done, but I’m so proud of the team that we have in place. Coming to KSU, I’m very excited,” said Akakpo.


For Akakpo, being back at an HBCU means following his passion.


He already has several goals ahead of his July 1 start date, including getting a handle on the university’s budget. This March, the state auditor’s office shared 20 findings that highlight financial issues at the university from 2018 to 2021. The findings include more than $3 million in federal grant funds being at risk.


“The very first thing is to look at the budget and address the situation pretty quickly,” he explained.


“The next thing is to work with the campus community to come up with a good internal control system. Strengthening the internal control system will allow us to avoid this problem in the future. Third — build the foundation for enrollment growth. We need a strong enrollment at Kentucky State University,” said Akapo.


The U.S. Department of Education reports KSU has a graduation rate of 33% with 1,700 students. Akakpo says raising that number will require the collaboration of many local and state leaders for added resources to HBCU’s.


“I’m going to engage our elected officials, our community, our business partners, our alumni, our volunteers and people who care for this intuition. I will be on the roads, I will be talking to as many people as I can so together, we can take this intuition to the next level,” said Akakpo.


Kentucky lawmakers passed House Bill 250 last April that sets aside $23 million to help KSU cover the budget shortfalls with another $15 million from the Council on Postsecondary Education. The last action on it was April 2022 when Gov. Andy Beshear (D) signed the bill

Congrats to him but he has a tough job. With the legislature having KSU in a bullseye this may be a make or break moment.

 

[get these nets]

Congrats to him but he has a tough job. With the legislature having KSU in a bullseye this may be a make or break moment.

Oh, absolutely. I think it was wise for the board to select a person who has worked in-state recently , and has relationships with politicians and understanding of state politics.

The final list of candidates was him,
the VP at Norfolk State, and the VP at UMES.

I don't know who was the strongest candidate, on paper. But I think the board went with the person who was best aware of what internal and external challenges KSU is facing.

 

[DrBanneker]

Oh, absolutely. I think it was wise for the board to select a person who has worked in-state recently , and has relationships with politicians and understanding of state politics.

The final list of candidates was him,
the VP at Norfolk State, and the VP at UMES.

I don't know who was the strongest candidate, on paper. But I think the board went with the person who was best aware of what internal and external challenges KSU is facing.

I don't know about the other two candidates either but as an outsider, a CEO, and someone with connections, he may be what KSU needs now. No offense but a VP from another HBCU looking at career progression is ok for a stable school---but KSU ain't stable.