From Alan Lytle, Kentucky Public Radio/WUKY, LexingtonThe University of Kentucky Board of Trustees has approved a new budget Tuesday that raises tuition by five percent and includes cuts to offset a nine-point-four million dollar shortfall.UK Vice-President Angela Martin says the school is also eliminating 40 vacant staff jobs and 12 more that are filled.""We (also) have changed the fund source for 22 staff positions; they were on undesignated general funds, they’re now on income support.... We have also eliminated twenty-nine vacant faculty positions,” Martin said.Martin says other cost-cutting moves include reductions in travel, operations and research support. The rest of the deficit will be made up by shifting funds to future budgets.Meanwhile, U of L trustees will meet Thursday to consider a new budget.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.