Kentucky Council on Higher Education

The council is the coordinating board for Kentucky's system of higher education. The council serves as the representative agency of the Commonwealth in matters of higher education and in this role brings a statewide perspective to higher education issues, problems, and planning. The primary mission of the council is the coordination and implementation of an effective system of higher education that will meet the current and future educational needs of the Commonwealth. The council not only has the responsibility for guiding the system but also serves as an advocate for higher education as part of the total post-secondary education enterprise.

The council is responsible for the planning and coordination of curricular programs for state colleges and universities.

The Council was established in 1934, and is the oldest state wide coordinating board for public higher education in the United States. In 1956 the General Assembly first appropriated funds directly to the Council, which established its own offices, and expanded staff and membership. Despite these advances, it was not until 1972 that the legislature strengthened the Council enough to begin comprehensive planning for a better coordinated system of higher education in Kentucky.

The council acts as the liaison agency between higher education and other segments of education. This capacity is particularly important in relation to other state agencies with responsibilities for other aspects of post-secondary education but not statutory responsibility. The council cooperates with other post-secondary education agencies in coordinating the offering of educational programs and services that meet the manpower needs of the Commonwealth without duplication of activities. However, because of the specific statutory responsibilities of the council, those post-secondary education programs and services offered by public universities come under the general jurisdiction and approval of the council and the administration of the universities.

The specific statutory responsibilities of the council, as detailed in KRS 164, primarily involve the determining of the needs of higher education in the Commonwealth and the developing of comprehensive plans to meet those needs. The council is also the representative agency of the Commonwealth in higher education matters not specifically delegated by statute to any of the public institutions. In this function, it performs many ad hoc and ongoing activities.