House committee advances SB 77 with substitute to allow comprehensive universities to seek doctoral programs

The Kentucky House Standing Committee on Postsecondary Education voted to advance Senate Bill 77 with a committee substitute that would remove statutory language barring comprehensive public universities from offering certain doctoral degrees and set eligibility and review criteria for any new doctoral program.

Senator Matt Dinh, the bill sponsor who appeared before the committee, said the legislation also seeks to give smaller institutions a stronger voice on a related education board. "Senate Bill 77 gives our small colleges and universities an opportunity, to serve on the EPSB board," Dinh said, noting some small campuses do not have a chief academic officer to send to that board and may want to designate another academic leader instead.

Representative James Tipton, who explained the committee substitute on the floor, said the sub removes statutory language that currently prevents comprehensive universities from offering terminal degrees such as doctor of philosophy or doctor of musical arts. "That language is stricken in the sub," Tipton said, adding that the substitute replaces the ban with a set of eligibility criteria and guardrails…