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c PRESIDENTIAL PERSPECTIVE A.
Charles T Wethington Jr:
  Dear Fellow Alum; . million eligible to match our private fund-raising efforts.
I This renews a tremendous opportunity for this partner- _
lt is that time of the year (or more precisely that time ship of state government and private resources that is so - 
every other year) when we take a look at the actions of the important to our future. `
Kentucky General Assembly and either reioice, frown with The second maior benefit to UK was a commitment V 
concern or just breathe a sigh of relief over the fate of the to provide 60% funding for a much-needed biomedical y 
higher education proposals. research building to be constructed on campus. As our  
l believe it is accurate that the University of Kentucky research expertise and initiatives have increased, there ji
I administration, following a period of a great deal of hard has developed an ever-greater demand for facilities to ;
work and energy, is probably somewhere between reioic- adequately house our researchers, and we are already  _
ing and relief. Allow me this briefing on what the experiencing severe research space shortages. The Uni- ` 
_, legislature accomplished during the first three and a half versity will be required to use its own resources to 5
  months of the year with regard to higher education. finance the remaining $26 million that will be needed to
l The very good news is that the all-important Research construct the 220,000 square~foot facility.  
r Challenge Trust Fund, the legislative initiative in l997 The University is very pleased and grateful for these {
that set aside up to $66.7 million for UK in matching dol- initiatives from state government, which will strengthen {
lars, has been renewed at the same level of commitment. our commitment to research and the highest quality fac-
I You will recall that Governor Patton and the Kentucky ulty. However, it is important to place these initiatives,
General Assembly challenged the University to become a as valuable as they are, in perspective. While bolstering
Top 20 public research institution by the year 2020. As our research program at a gratifying rate, these dollars ,
part of that goal, the Trust Fund — or "bucks for brains" have little impact on UK's challenge of setting and meet-
program as it has been called — was established. ing the remainder of its annual operating budget. A
E Thanks to the generosity of foundations, corporations, State funds allocated this year for the budget of the F
; alumni and friends of the University, UK has been able to next two years showed a slight increase over the budget .
_ match the state dollars, which will result in an endow- ofthe biennium that is ending, although the percentage
. ment of $I33.4 million to establish chairs and of our budget supported from state dollars continues to
professorships and fund research initiatives in depart- slip. For the current fiscal year, UK draws 26% of the $1.1
ments and colleges all across campus. In effect we are billion in operating dollars from the state. For the next
putting into place the researchers and teachers who will two years, that percentage will again drop a bit. The re-
bring us the kind of expertise and renown to elevate more mainder of the budget must be generated from tuition
of our programs to Top 20 status. and other sources, including private support.
The state's recognition of the value of this program is The 26% is down from the 41% rate of participation by
most gratifying. Thanks to legislators demonstrated re- the state iust eight years ago. Less than 20 years ago,
solve of recent months, UK will again have available $66.7
46 Kenrucxv Aturvrrvus