>> Renee: DR. MICHAEL TAFT

BENSON IS EASTERN KENTUCKY

UNIVERSITY'S 13TH PRESIDENT.

HIS LEADERSHIP HAS SEEN RECORD

ENROLLMENT AND PRIVATE SUPPORT

AND IMPROVED RETENTION AND

GRADUATION RATES.

WE'LL TALK WITH DR. BENSON

ABOUT THE CHALLENGES FOR HIGHER

EDUCATION IN KENTUCKY, AND HIS

NEW BOOK APPROPRIATELY ENTITLED

"COLLEGE FOR THE COMMONWEALTH."

THAT'S NOW ON "CONNECTIONS."

♪

♪

>> Renee: THANK YOU FOR JOINING

US FOR "CONNECTIONS" TODAY.

I'M RENEE SHAW.

SINCE AUGUST OF 2013,

Dr. MICHAEL BENSON HAS LED

EASTERN KENTUCKY AS ITS

13TH PRESIDENT.

HE'S A FORMER COLLEGE ATHLETE

AND COMPETITIVE MARATHON RUNNER

AND ALSO AN EAGLE SCOUT AND

CLASSICALLY-TRAINED PIANIST.

BEFORE COMING TO EKU, HE WAS THE

YOUNGEST COLLEGE PRESIDENT IN

THE HISTORY OF THE UTAH SYSTEM

OF HIGHER EDUCATION WHEN HE WAS

APPOINTED AT AGE 36.

BENSON' TENURE SO FAR AT EASTERN

HAS BEEN MARKED WITH HISTORIC

PROGRESS BUT ALSO SOME STEEP

CHALLENGES IN STATE FUNDING AND

WE'RE SO GLAD TO HAVE

DR. BENSON WAS TODAY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING

HERE.

>> MY PLEASURE.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> YOU'VE HAD PRACTICE REALLY

GOOD YEAREN PARTS OF 2018 WERE

GOOD AND PARTS NOT SO GOOD SO

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE GOOD PARTS

OF YOUR TENURE IN THE LAST FOUR

YEARS OR SO THAT YOU HAVE BEEN

AT EASTERN.

>> WELL, IN OUR LAST GRADUATION

IN DECEMBER, CRAIG TURNER, OUR

OUTGOING CHAIR, HE'S BEEN ON THE

BOARD FOR UPWARDS OF 12 YEARS

NOW, MADE THE COMMENT THAT

DURING HIS TIME OVER 42,000

STUDENTS HAVE GRADUATED FROM

EASTERN.

SO FOR ME, THE HIGH WATER MARK

EVERY SEMESTER IN DECEMBER AND

MAY IS WHEN WE HAVE GRADUATION.

BECAUSE I GET TO SHAKE EVERY

SINGLE HAND, AND EVERY STUDENT

THAT WALKS ACROSS THAT STAGE IS

A STORY.

IT IS NOT JUST A NAME, IT IS NOT

JUST A DEGREE, IT IS A STORY, IT

IS A STORY OF SACRIFICE AND

COMMITMENT.

AND WHEN I ASK THE FIRST

GENERATION GRADUATES TO STAND

UP, IT IS A PRETTY EMOTIONAL

MOMENT.

THE FAMILIES ARE THERE AND YOU

UNDERSTAND THE SACRIFICES THAT

HAVE BEEN MADE ON BEHAD HALF OF

THAT STUDENT TO GRADUATE, AND I

ALWAYS FOCUS ON THAT.

THAT FOR ME IS -- IT MAKES IT

ALL WORTH IT.

AND WHEN CRAIG SAID THAT 42,000

STUDENTS THAT WE'VE GRADUATED IN

12 YEARS AND YOU DO THE MATH,

EXTRAPOLATE FROM THAT HOW MANY

LIVING ALUMNI, OVER 130,000.

SO I --

>> NOT BAD.

>> YEAR DOING GOOD THINGS SURE

WE HAVE CHALLENGES BUT WE'RE

DOING GREAT THINGS.

>> RIGHT.

AND REVITALIZING THE CAMPUS HAS

BEEN ONE OF YOUR PIECES OF

MISSION WORK AT EASTERN AND

CERTAINLY, WE'VE VISITED THERE

RECENTLY WHEN WE WERE DOING OUR

SIX-PART SERIES ON YOUTH MENTAL

HEALTH AND TALKED TO ONE OF YOUR

PROFESSORS, Dr. MELINDA MOORE.

WONDERFUL PSYCHOLOGIST.

SHE'S TERRIFIC.

AND WE GOT TO ROAM AROUND

CAMPUS.

QUITE BEAUTIFUL.

AND A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT

YOU'VE MADE AND THINGS ARE STILL

UNFOLDING AS WE SPEAK.

>> WELL, WHEN THE -- CAME TO OUR

CAMPUS IN 1906 AND DID THE

CAMPUS MASTER PLAN, THEY SET IN

PLACE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE

BUILT UPON, LITERALLY FOR

CENTURIES WHICH IS EXACTLY

WHAT'S HAPPENED.

BUT IT D IT NEEDED A REFRESH.

AND I FOUND THAT STUDENTS TODAY

ARE PRETTY SOPHISTICATED AND IF

THEY SHOW UP WITH THEIR MOM AND

DAD, SIGNIFICANT OTHERS,

WHATEVER, AND YOU DON'T HAVE

WHAT THEY WANT IN TERMS OF THE

RESIDENCE HALL, ACADEMIC SPACE,

WHAT I CALL AUXILIARY SPACE WITH

A DINING HALL AND A REC CENTER,

THEIR MONEY IS PORTABLE AND THEY

COME, OF COURSE, FOR A DEGREE

PROGRAM BUT THEY COME FOR

SAFETY, THEY COME FOR EASE OF

ACCESS AND THEY COME FOR ALL OFS

THIS KIND OF AYOU COULD TREMONTS

THAT GO WITH THE 21ST CENTURY

EDUCATION.

>> WHEN I WAS GOING THROUGH, WE

DID NOT HAVE AIR CONDITIONING.

[ LAUGHTER ]

SO THINGS HAVE COME A MIGHTY

LONG WAY SINCE THE EARLY 2,000.

ALONG WITH THE RENOVATION,

YOU'VE ENDURED A LOT OF BUDGET

REDUCTIONS, AND SOME CUTS TO

STAFF, CRITICAL TIMES AT EASTERN

KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY AND NOT JUST

EASTERN.

THAT'S HAPPENED ACROSS THE

STATE.

PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES ARE FEELING

THE SQUEEZE FROM THIS UNSOLVED

PENSION CRISIS.

THAT'S PART OF IT TOO.

AND ALSO, THE DWINDLING SUPPORT

FROM THE STATE AND WHICH CAN

ALSO TRANSLATE IN MANY CASES TO

RISING TUITION.

SO HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH

THESE FISCAL CHALLENGES THAT ARE

BEFORE YOU, WHETHER IT IS

PENSION COSTS THAT YOU'RE HAVING

TO PAY AS WELL AS THE FISCAL

SQUEEZE FROM THE STATE, BEING

CUT.

>> WELL, IF YOU LOOK AT THE

STATE BUDGET AS A PIE, THERE ARE

EVER INCREASING DEMANDS ON THAT

PIE.

AND WHETHER IT IS IN THE FORM OF

MEDICAID OR OF OTHER BENEFITS,

THE PENSION ISSUE IS UNIQUE TO

KENTUCKY.

IT IS NOT UNIQUE.

THERE ARE OTHER STATES LIKE

ILLINOIS AND CALIFORNIA THAT ARE

STARTING TO FACE IT.

BUT IT IS PARTICULARLY ACUTE FOR

US.

AND I COMMEND OUR LEADERS, THEY

ARE TRYING THAT BREAST TO DEAL

WITH IT, BUT UNTIL WE GET IT

SOLVED, OR AT LEAST GET A PLAN

IN PLACE, IT IS GOING TO

CONTINUE TO SIPHON OFF RESOURCES

FROM OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN

FUNDED HERETOFOR IN MORE

ADEQUATE WAYS.

AND SO IT REALLY IS KIND OF

SUCKED THE OXYGEN OUT OF THE

ROOM AS IT WERE.

AND THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR ANY OF

US.

I'M A FIRM BELIEVER THAT A PLAN

HAS TO BE PUT IN PLACE TO FIX

IT.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO MAKE A MORE

COMPELLING CASE, I BELIEVE, FOR

PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION IN

KENTUCKY.

ONE THING ABOUT TO REALLY

APPRECIATE IS THE WEALTH AND THE

BREADTH OF INSTITUTIONS IN THE

STATE.

YOU KNOW, FOUR AND A HALF

MILLION PEOPLE IN KENTUCKY, A

RELATIVELY SMALL GEOGRAPHIC

STATE BUT THE INSTITUTIONS FROM

TRANSYLVANIA 1770 TO KCTCS THAT

HAS CAMPUSES ACROSS THE STATE,

THERE ARE POINTS OF ENTRY FOR

STUDENTS ALONG A VERY BROAD

SPECTRUM AND IT SHOULD BE

SOMETHING THE THAT WE

APPRECIATE, AND CHERISH AND

PROMULGATE AND SUPPORT.

AND WE HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB I

THINK IN MAKING THAT CASE.

>> TELL US ABOUT THE -- I HATE

TO SAY THE WORD TYPICAL STUDENT

BECAUSE THERE IS NO SUCH TYPICAL

STUDENT.

BUT THE KIND OF STUDENT IS THAT

EKU ATTRACTS.

IS IT FROM THAT EASTERN KENTUCKY

REGION?

OR DO YOU HAVE A STRONG

INTERNATIONAL BASE?

TELL US ABOUT THE STUDENT, AND

MAYBE THEIR FIRST GENERATION

STATUS AND OTHER THINGS THAT

MAKE THEM -- THAT MAKE THEM EKU

ATTRACTIVE TO THEM.

>> WELL, ONE UNIQUE

CHARACTERISTIC, 51% ARE PE LL

ELIGIBLE.

THEY MAY NOT HAVE A PELL GRANT

OR TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT BUT THEY

ARE ELIGIBLE.

SO WE SERVICE A CERTAIN

POPULATION THAT COLLEGES THAT

ONE OPPORTUNITY WILL CHANGE

THEIR LIFE MORE THAN ANYTHING.

I'M A PRODUCT OF THAT.

MY FATHER WAS A FIRST GENERATION

COLLEGE GRADUATE.

WE HAVE A 22 COUNTY SERVICE

REGION.

IF YOU LOOK AT THAT REGION, THE

POPULATION CONTINUES TO DWINDLE,

DEMOGRAPHIC SUGGESTS THAT IT

WILL CONTINUE TO GO DOWN.

BUT, 92% OF OUR FRESHMAN CLASS

THIS LAST YEAR WAS FROM THE

STATE OF KENTUCKY.

IF YOU LOOK, KIND OF STRING THAT

OUT AND SAY, WHAT HAPPENS TO

THEM AFTER FIVE YEARS AFTER

GRADUATION, TEN YEARS, A GREAT

MAJORITY, 75% STAY IN KENTUCKY.

THEY PAY PAYROLL TAXES AND RAISE

THEIR FAMILIES HERE.

EASTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

DESCRIBES WHO WE ARE, IT DOESN'T

DEFINE WHO WE ARE.

WE REALLY IN A LOT OF WAYS ARE

KENTUCKY'S UNIVERSITY AND WE

HAVE THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF

KENTUCKY STUDENTS AT OUR

INSTITUTION THAN ANY OTHER

PLACE.

>> ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THE

DEPOPULATION OF EASTERN KENTUCKY

BECAUSE OF THE DISTRIBUTEDLING

COAL ECONOMY THAT'S DRIVEN THAT

AREA FOR SO LONG, AND WE'RE

ALREADY SEEING REMNANTS OF THAT

MIGRATION OUTSIDE OF THAT

REGION.

DO YOU WORRY ABOUT THE IMPACT

THAT COULD HAVE ON ENROLLMENT AT

EASTERN?

>> I THINK THAT ALL OF US ARE

CONCERNED WITH THAT.

WE HAD A CHANCE TO VISIT WITH

THE PRESIDENT OF WEST VIRGINIA

UNIVERSITY JUST A FEW MINUTES

AGO.

WE TOOK A GROUP TO PITTSBURGH

AND STOPPED IN HIS CAMPUS ON THE

WAY.

AND NET OUT MIGRATION IS AN

ISSUE FOR WEST VIRGINIA.

AND SO THE PARTS OF THIS COUNTRY

THAT ARE REALLY DEALING WITH

THAT BRAIN DRAIN SO WHAT ARE WE

DOING IN HIGHERDATION TO HELP

THOSE POLICY MAKERS ESTABLISH

JOBS WITH BUSINESS, TO ATTRACT

JOBS HERE, TO ATTRACT

BUSINESSES, TO EMPLOY OUR

GRADUATES?

IT REALLY IS, IT IS NOT LIKE WE

OPERATE IN A VACUUM.

HIGHER ED HAS TO BE PART OF THE

SOLUTION.

AND TRYING OUR BEST TO BE THAT

SOLUTION IN APRIL OF 2018, THERE

WAS UNFORTUNATE NEWS WHEN THERE

WAS SOME BUDGET REDUCTIONS.

THERE WERE -- THERE WERE 153

POSITIONS THAT WERE LIMITED IN

'OR -- THAT WERE VACANT.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE

NUMBERS.

AND THEN THE BRIGHT SPOTS, THE

GRADUATION COMES A MONTH LATER.

AND LOOKING AT THOSE CHALLENGES.

AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE A

BUDGET SESSION THIS YEAR IN 2019

WITH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BUT

2020 WILL BE HERE BEFORE WE KNOW

IT.

THE CONCERNS THAT YOU HAVE ABOUT

FUNDING, AND EVEN THE

PERFORMANCE FUNDING PIECE, I

UNDERSTAND THAT EASTERN RANKS

FIVE FORECAST, I DO BELIEVE,

WHEN THE CPE PUT OUT THAT REPORT

BACK IN AUGUST OF 2018.

SO HOW ARE YOU CONCERNED OR ARE

YOU CONCERNED ABOUT

PERFORMANCE-BASED FUNDING AND

JUST THE REGULAR ALLOCATION?

FOR YOUR SERVICES?

>> VERY GOOD QUESTION.

WE WERE FOURTH, BY THE WAY.

>> FOURTH, EXCUSE THEY.

>> WE KEEP CLOSE TABS ON THOSE.

>> I DIDN'T MEAN TO DOWNGRADE

YOU.

THAT WAS COMPLETELY --

>> AND, THE PERFORMANCE-BASED

FUNDING IS A TREND AND IT IS

REALLY HERE TO STAY.

I THINK THAT 40 STATES IN THE

COUNTRY NOW HAVE SOME ELEMENT OF

PERFORMANCE-BASED FUNDING AS

PART OF THEIR HIGHER EDUCATION

FUNDING MECHANISM.

SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE

GOING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

AND IT IS REALLY FORCED US ALSO

IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY TO FOCUS

UPON SPECIFIC METRICS THAT MAYBE

WE -- NOT THAT WE WERE NOT

PAYING ATTENTION, WE'RE AT THE

FOREFRONT NOW.

UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY

POPULATIONS, STEM-PLUS DEGREES,

FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE

STUDENTS.

LOW-INCOME STUDENTS.

SO ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS THAT WE

HAVE TALKED ABOUT, THAT COLLEGE

IS GOING TO BE THAT OPPORTUNITY

THAT WILL CHANGE THEIR LIFE BUT

MORE IMPORTANTLY, CHANGE ALL OF

THE GENERATIONS THAT FOLLOW THAT

FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE

GRADUATE GENTLEMAN AND DO YOU

THINK THAT EASTERN WOULD BE

POSITIONED TO BE ABLE TO REALLY

BE COMPETITIVE IN THAT

PERFORMANCE FUNDING OR

OUTCOM-AIR BASED MODEL.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> THE POPULATION THAT YOU'RE

CURRENTLY SERVING.

>> YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.

AND ALL OF US ARE GOING TO HAVE

EBBS AND FLOWS.

AS THE MODEL PLAYS OUT AND ALONG

WITH CAPILUTO, THE ONLY ONES

LEFT OF THAT ORIGINATION

DISCUSSION.

WE HAVE A LOOK BACK AND WE WILL

FINE TUNE IT BUT IT IS HERE TO

STAY AND WE'RE A PARTNER IN IT,

IN MAKING SURE THAT IT SERVES

THE STUDENTS OF KENTUCKY.

>> YOU ARE THE SENIOR

PRESIDENTIAL CLASS IN KENTUCKY.

YOU AND Dr. ELI CAPILUTO AT

UNIVERSITY OF.

YOU LOOK AT WESTERN CLOSE

PRESIDENT HAS BEEN THERE

PROBABLY ALMOST MAYBE 20 MONTHS

NOW.

KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY, HE

HAS NOT BEEN THERE THAT LONG.

MURRAY STATE.

NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY.

U OF L.

YOU ALL ARE THE ONES WHO CAN

KIND OF TEACH THESE OTHER LADIES

AND GENTLEMEN THE ROPES, RIGHT?

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE EXODUS

OF ALL OF THAT INSTITUTIONAL

KNOWLEDGE, AND HIGHER EDUCATION,

TRICKLING OUT, PRETTY MUCH IN

RAPID ORDER AT ONCE, THE IMPACT

OF THAT CAN THAT EVEN BE

MEASURED?

>> IT IS HARD TO QUANTIFY BUT

STILL, THE PEOPLE HAVE COME IN,

THEY ARE VERY CAPABLE, AND I'M

SERVING RIGHT NOW AS THE

CONVENER OF ALL OF THE

PRESIDENTS SO I HAVE THE

RESPONSIBILITY OF MAKING SURE

THAT WE'RE -- HOPEFULLY ON THE

SAME PAGE.

WE'RE INDIVIDUALS, STRONG

OPINIONS AND PERSPECTIVES AND I

RESPECT THAT.

BUT WE ALL GET ALONG, AND THAT'S

SOMETHING THAT I REALLY

APPRECIATE AS WELL.

ELI HAS ABOUT 18 MONTHS IN TERMS

OF SENIORITY.

BUT THE FACT IS, IF YOU LOOK AT

THESE JOBS, THERE IS SOME

TURNOVER.

BUT, THE FACT THAT WE GET ALONG,

AARON THOMPSON, THE NEW

PRESIDENT OF CPE.

>> WHO HAILS FROM EASTERN

KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY.

>> HE'S ONE OF OUR GRADUATES AND

KNOWS KENTUCKY AS WELL AS

ANYBODY.

I'M SO HAPPY THAT AARON WAS

ENTRUSTED WITH THAT POSITION

BECAUSE HE'S DOING A FANTASTIC

JOB.

AND MOVING FORWARD, ALL OF US

ARE ON THE SAME PAGE.

WE ALL WANT TO -- SURE, WE LOBBY

FOR OUR RESPECTIVE INSTITUTIONS,

BUT, AT DAY'S END, COLLECTIVELY

WE HAVE TO TO ADVOCATE FOR

HIGHER EDUCATION IN KENTUCKY.

>> THAT'S SOMETHING THAT

Dr. THOMPSON HAS SPOKEN ABOUT

SEVERAL NSA SEVERAL DIFFERENT

INTERVIEWS AND HE WILL HAVE BEEN

ON THIS PROGRAM BY THE TIME THIS

INTERVIEWS.

AND IN YOUR BOOK, YOU TALK ABOUT

COLLEGE IN "COLLEGE FOR THE

COMMONWEALTH," THE VALUE OF

HIGHER EDUCATION, AND NOT JUST

FOR STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND THAT

BUT THE LARGER PUBLIC TO

UNDERSTAND THAT AND MAYBE EVEN

POLICY MAKERS, LAWMAKERS TO

UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF HIGHER

EDUCATION.

DO YOU FEEL THAT HIGHER

EDUCATION IS SOMEWHAT UNDER

ATTACK OR MISUNDERSTOOD OR

DEVALUED IN SOME WAY IN KENTUCKY

AT THIS JUNCTURE?

>> I WOULD SAY YES TO ALL OF

THOSE.

PART OF IT IS OUR OWN DOING

BECAUSE, SOME OF THE STORIES

THAT ARE OUT THERE, ABOUT HIGHER

EDUCATION ARE ISSUES THAT WE

HAVE KIND OF COME UP WITH

OURSELVES.

WHETHER IT IS COACH SALARIES OR

SCANDAL AROUND ATHLETIC TEAMS OR

WHATEVER.

STILL, ALL IN ALL, CLARK KERR,

THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAID

THE AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION

SYSTEM IS THE GREATEST SYSTEM IN

THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.

AND IT IS TRUE.

BECAUSE YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THE

WAYS THAT YOUR LIFE, MY LIFE,

EVERY SINGLE DAY IS IMPACTED IN

A POSITIVE WAY, BY SOME

DEVELOPMENT, SOME DISCOVERY,

SOME KNOWLEDGE THAT WAS FIRST

DISCOVERED, DEVELOPED AND

DISSEMINATED AND APPLIED.

SO CHANCES ARE IT CAME OUT OF

THE PUBLIC OR PRIVATE RESEARCH

UNIVERSITY.

WHILE WITH WE'RE NOT A RESEARCH

UNIVERSITY, WE HELP -- I

BELIEVE, TOWARD THAT GOAL, OF

PRODUCING MORE KNOWLEDGE AND

APPLYING IT TO THE BETTERMENT OF

SOCIETY IN OUR BOOK, WE TRY TO

TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT, FROM

GEORGE WASHINGTON WHO ADVOCATED

FOR A NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, EVEN

THOUGH HE WAS NOT A COLLEGE

GRADUATE, HE WAS SURROUNDED BY

THOSE THAT WERE.

AND HE SAW THE INHERENT VALUE IN

AN EDUCATED CITIZENRY.

YOU MAY GO OUT AND GET A DEGREE

THAT WILL BENEFIT U.S. AND

IMPROVE YOUR JOB PROSPECTS BUT

GUESS WHAT?

IBEN IF IT FROM THAT.

BECAUSE THE MORE EDUCATED

CITIZENRY IS GOING TO BE A BEN

FOYT ALL OF US.

>> AND NOT JUST IN TERMS OF

UPWARD MOBILITY AND PROSPERITY

BUT ALSO, BUILDING AN INFORMED

CITIZENRY, AND EVEN POLITICAL

PARTICIPATION.

YOU MENTIONED THAT AND ARUDED TO

GEORGE WASHINGTON AS WELL.

THAT IT IS NOT -- ALLUDED TO

GEORGE WASHINGTON AS WE IT IS

NOT JUST ABOUT WORKFORCE

DEVELOPMENT.

I'M CURIOUS YOUR PERSPECTIVE

BECAUSE THERE SEEMS TO BE A

LASER FOCUS IN INTENSITY ON

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND HIGHER

EDUCATION BEING A MEANS TO THAT

END.

IS THERE SOMETHING THAT IS

MISSING, OR DO YOU FEAR THERE IS

SOMETHING THAT'S MISSING AND THE

VALUE OF EDUCATION BEYOND JUST

JOB PLACEMENT.

THAT WE'RE NOT COMPLETELY

VALUING THE TOTALITY OF WHAT THE

COLLEGE EXPERIENCE CAN BRING TO

ONE'S OWN LIFE.

>> VERY GOOD QUESTION.

AND MULTI-LAYERED -- IT IS TRUE.

HIGHER ED IS HELD TO THE

STANDARD OF WHAT GRADUATES ARE

YOU PRODUCING THAT CAN BE

APPLIED OR HELPED TO FILL THOSE

NEEDS IN A WORKFORCE.

BUT, I WOULD ARGUE THAT A

COLLEGE EDUCATION, YOU LOOK AT

WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU, WHEN YOU

SET FOOT ON CAM NEWS A

TRADITIONAL COLLEGE AGE.

AND HOW YOUR LIFE IS --

LITERALLY TRANSFORMED.

NOW, COLLEGE STUDENTS TODAY ARE

A BROAD SPECTRUM OF TYPES OF

PEOPLE AND EXPERIENCES.

SO, WE HAVE ADULT LEARNERS, AND

A GREAT MAJORITY, THERE IS A

LARGE PERCENTAGE OF AMERICAN

POPULATION THAT STOPS OUT.

YOUR LIFE HAPPENS.

WHAT CAN WE DO IN KENTUCKY TO

CAPTURE THOSE ADULT LEARNERS AND

BRING THEM BACK TO HELP THEM TO

FINISH THAT DIPLOMA.

SO, IT IS MORE THAN JUST GETTING

JOB TRAINING, IT IS MORE THAN

JUST FILLING KIND OF THAT COG IN

THE MACHINE FOR WORKFORCE NEEDS.

IT IS AN ENTIRE EXPERIENCE TO

GET ALONG WITH OTHER PEOPLE, TO

REASON TO THINK, TO WRITE, TO

ARGUE COGENTLY, AND THE FAMOUS

SAYING THAT TRUE WISDOM IS THE

ABILITY TO LISTEN TO SOMEONE

ELSE'S OPINION AND NOT LOSE YOUR

MIND OR GET ANGRY.

THAT'S WHAT COLLEGE SHOULD BE

ABOUT AND I'M PARAPHRASING.

>> SURE.

>> BUT, THE INTERACTING WITH

PEOPLE THAT ARE DIFFERENT AND

THINK AND ACT AND LOOK AND

BEDIFFERENTLY.

AT LEAST WHAT THE WORLD IS ALL

ABOUT.

AND IF WE CAN DO IT BETTER ON A

COLLEGE CAMPUS IN AN ENVIRONMENT

WHERE THE STUDENTS WILL COME TO

US, AND IN MANY WAYS HAVE THOSE

TRANSFORMATIONAL EXPERIENCES

DURING THOSE YEARS IN COLLEGE,

THAT'S WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT.

>> WHAT ARE YOU OFFERING THAT

WOULD LURE THE NON-TRADITIONAL

ADULT LEARNER WHO MAY HAVE SOME

CREDITS HAVE A BANK OF, YOU

KNOW, JUST 20 OR SO CREDIT WHO

DID NOT QUITE FINISH.

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO THE

LURE THOSE FOLKS BACK TO EKU AND

TO FINISH THEIR DEGREE?

>> WELL, WE'RE TRYING IT WITH

THE MARKETING MESSAGES THAT WE

PUT OUT AND A LOT OF OUR

PROGRAMS ARE NOW WHOLLY ONLINE.

SO YOU'RE SEEING IT MORE FROM

U.K. AND FROM THE INSTITUTIONS

THROUGHOUT THE COMMONWEALTH.

BUT, MAKING EASE OF ACCESS, AND

SOME STUDENTS HAVE BEEN GONE FOR

A WHILE AND THEY ARE INTIMIDATED

BY COMING BACK AND TALKING TO AN

ADVISER AND MAYBE THEIR GRADES

WERE NOT WHAT THEY WANTED BUT

THAT SHOULD BE A NO WAY WE

BELIEVE A HINDERANCE TO GET THEM

IN AND TO FINISH.

I'LL GIVE YOU A GOOD EXAMPLE.

WE HAVE HAVE THE SCHOLAR HOUSE.

IT IS A SECTION 8 HOUSING,

SUBSIDIZED HOUSING FOR SINGLE

PARENTS.

MANY OF THESE STUDENTS THERE ARE

39 UNITS.

ALL ARE OCCUPIED.

THE MAJORITY ARE FEMALE.

MANY OF THESE STUDENTS, LIFE

HAPPENED.

AND THEY REALIZED THAT WITHOUT

THE CHANCE TO LIVE IN A --

POSITIVE LIGHT LIKE IN THE

SCHOLAR HOUSE WITH CHILD CARE,

THEY WOULDN'T HAVE THAT CHANCE.

I WENT TO A GRADUATION FOR SOME

OF THE FIRST GRADUATING

STUDENTS.

AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE

INSPIRED.

BECAUSE, THESE CHILDREN OF THE

STUDENTS ARE SEEING THEIR MOMS

AND DADS MAKE SACRIFICES AND

RECOGNIZE THAT A COLLEGE DEGREE

IS SO IMPORTANT TO THEM.

AND IF IT IS FOR TO THEM, IT

SHOULD BE IMPORTANT TO ME.

>> AND ONE TOOL TO GET AT THIS

INTERGENERATIONAL POVERTY CYCLE.

>> EXACTLY.

>> WE KNOW THE WORK OF THE

SCHOLAR HOUSE AND WE'RE GLAD TO

SEE HOW YOU'RE ALL INCORPORATING

THAT.

TENURE PROTECTION.

SO, THIS SEEMS TO BE A DEBATE

THAT'S ERUPTED ON THE SCENE IN

THE LAST FEW YEARS AND I'M

CURIOUS AS TO YOUR THOUGHTS

ABOUT THIS ACADEMIC PROTECTION.

IS THAT A NECESSITY IN RETAINING

GOOD QUALIFIED FACULTY AND WHAT

ARE THE OTHER BENEFITS FOR

ENSURING THAT THERE IS TENURE

PROTECTIONS, OR, MAYBE IS IT

TIME TO RE-EVALUATE THOSE

POLICIES?

>> WELL, THERE ARE A LOT OF

STATES OUT THERE THAT ARE TRYING

THEIR BEST TO NAVIGATE AND THAT

IS A DIFFICULT ISSUE.

I WOULD ARGUE THAT SENT YOU'RE

IS PART AND PARCEL OF THE

ACADEMIC ENDEAVOR.

IT ALLOWS PROFESSORS REGARDLESS

OF THE DISCIPLINE, TO HAVE SOME

SECURITY THAT THEY CAN BE BOLD

AND THEY CAN BE VOCAL IN THEIR

CRITIQUE OF WHATEVER IS GOING

ON, WITHOUT FEAR OF LOSING OR

RETRIBUTION OR WHATEVER.

AND I AM WHOLLY COMMITTED TO THE

PRINCIPLE OF TENURE.

NOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS

OUT THERE THAT SAY, TENURE IS A

SYSTEM THAT NEEDS TO BE

RE-EVALUATED AND RECONSIDERED OR

POST TENURE REVIEW.

SO, THAT DISCUSSION IS HAPPENING

IN KENTUCKY AS WELL.

BUT, YOU'LL HAVE A HARD TIME

ATTRACTING FACULTY WITHOUT ANY

SORT OF GUARANTEES OF TENURE AT

A PLACE LIKE EKU IF IT WERE TO

GO AWAY.

>> AND I WANT TO REVISIT IN

OCTOBER OF 2018, WHEN JUST THE

NEWS THAT PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP

WAS GOING TO BE VISITING EKU ON

BEHALF OF -- THERE WAS SOME

SUBSTANTIAL PUSH BACK FROM

FACULTY AND STUDENTS AND I'M

CURIOUS IF YOU HAD TO DO IT ALL

OVER AGAIN, WHAT WOULD YOU DO

DIFFERENTLY OR DO YOU THINK THAT

THE WAY THAT YOU APPROACH THAT

MATTER AND HANDLED THAT MATTER,

SERVED WHAT THE PURPOSE OF THE

UNIVERSITY IS TO PROVIDE A

PLATFORM FOR CIVIL DIALOGUE AND

OPEN DISCOURSE.

>> WELL, IT WAS CERTAINLY A

LEARNING EXPERIENCE, AND I WOULD

FIRST START BY COMMENDING ALL OF

OUR FOLKS THAT HELPED WITH BOTH

THE ORGANIZATION AND THE

EVENTUAL EXECUTION OF THE EVENT,

BECAUSE IT CAME OFF REALLY

WITHOUT A HITCH.

WE HAD A -- SOME OF THE FOLKS

THAT WERE THERE TO PROTEST

PRESIDENT TRUMP'S BEING ON

CAMPUS, AND, THEY DID SO

PEACEFULLY AND THERE WERE VERY

FEW INCIDENTS THAT SAID, RENEE.

DO I BELIEVE IN THE FIRST

AMENDMENT?

YES.

I AM AN UNAPOLOGETIC SUPPORTER

OF YOUR ABILITY AND YOUR RIGHT

TO SAY WHATEVER YOU WANT.

NOW, I MAY NOT AGREE WITH IT AND

IT MAY MAKE ME REALLY

UNCOMFORTABLE, AND I MAY

DISAGREE WITH THE PRESIDENT OF

THE UNITED STATES, BUT AS A

UNIVERSITY, IS IT A PLACE WHERE

THOSE KINDS OF DEBATES SHOULD

HAPPEN?

ABSOLUTELY.

SOME SAID IT WAS NOT A DEBATE,

IT WAS A CAMPAIGN RALLY.

WE HAVE A POLICY THAT EVERYBODY,

IF THEY ADHERE TO OUR POLICIES,

CAN COME IN OUR FACILITIES AND

IT TURNS OUT THAT THE OPPONENT

TO THE CANDIDATE HELD A CAMPAIGN

EVENT TEN DAYS LATER ON OUR

CAMPUS.

SO IT IS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE

FACT THAT WE'RE -- OR A PLACE

THAT WE HOPE THAT THIS COLLIDING

OF IDEAS AND A DEBATE CAN TAKE

PLACE, AS YOU SAID, IN A CIVIL

WAY, BUT WE AMERICANED A GREAT

DEAL ABOUT OURSELVES AND WE'RE

CONTINUING TO HAVE DIALOGUE WITH

OUR STUDENTS AND INVITING

STUDENTS TO COME TO HEAR

SPEAKERS THAT HAVE A DIFFERENT

PERSPECTIVE.

>> WHAT DID YOU HEAR FROM

STUDENT US AFTER THE SNACK.

>> THEY WANTED THOSE CHANCES.

THEY WANTED -- LOOK, THE

PRESIDENT SAID HIS PIECE, I WANT

TO HAVE SOMEBODY ELSE COME AND

SPEAK THEIR MIND.

>> IT SO WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE

EVENTS PLANNED FOR THIS

SEMESTER.

WE'VE HAD THOSE DIALOGUES WITH

OUR STUDENTS ALREADY.

>> WELL, GOOD.

AND I THINK THAT'S A POSITIVE

BYPRODUCT.

I'M A BIG PROPONENT OF MORE

CIVIL DISCOURSE AND THAT

COLLISION OF IDEAS I THINK

THAT'S WHAT REALLY MAKE OUR

COUNTRY WHAT OUR COUNTRY IS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> YOU HAVE -- A LOT OF FOLKS

HAVE THEIR EYE OF UN,

Dr. BENSON.

RECENTLY, LAST YEAR, OF COURSE

YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY.

THE YOU APPLIED, UNIVERSITY OF

CHARLESTON.

>> COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON IN

SOUTH CAROLINA AND THAT DID NOT

WORK OUT BUT MANY PEOPLE ARE

CURIOUS.

YOU'RE A YOUNG MAN AND HAVE DONE

GREAT THINGS AT EKU.

YOUR PROSPECTS FOR HOW LONG

YOU'LL STAY AT EKU AND WHAT

BUSINESS DO YOU STILL HOPE TO

CONDUCT AND WHAT'S ON YOUR TO-DO

LIST STILL?

>> WELL, YOU GOT RIGHT TO IT

THERE, DIDN'T YOU.

>> I DID.

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> I'M A FIRM BELIEVER AND MY

MOTHER HAD SIX KIDS, BLOOM WHERE

YOU'RE PLANTED AND I'M A

BELIEVER THAT YOU ARE IN A

POSITION TO MAKE IT BETTER, TO

DO THE BEST THAT YOU POSSIBLY

CAN, AND HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO

PRESENT THEMSELVES AND IT IS

RIGHT FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR

FAMILY, THEN, YOU SHOULD

CONSIDER THEM.

WE HAD A CHANCE, IT DID NOT WORK

OUT AND WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE

THE CHANCE TO STAY IN KENTUCKY

FOR A WHILE LONGER.

WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THAT WILL BE.

I'LL PROMISE YOU THIS.

WE'LL STAY AS LONG AS WE FEEL

THAT WE'RE DOING SOME GOOD AND

MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

>> IN HAS BEEN LOTS OF

DISCUSSION, Dr. BENSON, AND I

DIDN'T MEAN TO PUT YOU ON THE

SPOT.

BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING

DISCUSSION THAT THE DAYS OF THE

TEN, 20-YEAR UNIVERSITY

PRESIDENT ARE GONE.

AT MY ALMA MATER, WESTERN

KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY, THE

PREVIOUS PRESIDENT BEFORE, HAD

BEEN THERE 20-SOMETHING YEARS

AND I THINK THOSE DAYS ARE

PROBABLY GONE.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S SAFE TO SAY

THAT THAT TENURE MARK IS UP?

>> WHETHER IT IS ELLIOT AT YALE

OR THEODORE AT NOTRE DAME THERE

FOR 35 YEARS, I THINK THAT'S THE

RECORD.

THOSE DAYS ARE PROBABLY BEHIND

US.

IT IS A DIFFICULT JOB.

NOBODY FORCED ME INTO IS IT.

I LOVE IT.

I REALLY DO.

THIS IS MY THIRD PRESIDENCY AND

MY KIDS ENJOY IT.

THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO

RAISE A FAMILY THAN ON A COLLEGE

CAMPUS.

BUT THE CHALLENGES ARE SUCH THAT

I THINK, IT DOES GET A LITTLE --

IT IS KIND OF A GRIND.

MY NEXT BOOK IS, I WANT TO DO A

BIOGRAPHY OF DANIEL GILLMAN THE

FIRST PRESIDENT OF JOHNS

HOPKINS, 26 YEARS AT JOHNS

HOPKINS, AND THOSE TYPES OF

TENURE I DON'T THINK ARE THE

NORM ANY MORE.

THEY ARE MORE AN ABERRATION.

>> WHEN DO YOU HAVE TIME TO

WRITE BOOKS?

I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT

THIS.

[ LAUGHTER ]

>> SERIOUSLY, YOU'RE DOING A LOT

AND AT ONE TIME, I DON'T KNOW IF

YOU STILL ARE CONTRIBUTING TO

THE HUFFINGTON POST.

>> NO, I DID.

I BLOGGED FOR THEM FOR ABOUT SIX

YEARS AND I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED

WRITING.

IT WAS 20 YEARS SINCE MY LAST

BOOK AND I THOUGHT, I'M OVERDUE,

AND HAL BOYD MY CO-AUTHOR IS

UNBELIEVABLY TALENTED PUMPED OUT

A GREAT DEAL.

AND SO I BELIEVE WRITING IS ONE

OF THE BEST SKILLS AND

ATTRIBUTES ANYBODY CAN DEVELOP

AND SO I WOULD LOVE TO READ.

THE MORE I READ OF GOOD WRITERS,

THE BETTER I AM.

IT IS A CRAFT THAT HAS TO BE IN

MANY WAYS PERFECTED AND

PRACTICED AND SO I TRY TO WRITE

EVERY SINGLE DAY.

>> AND IN THIS BOOK, YOU DON'T

JUST TAP THE ASK YOU IS HES OF

EKU.

YOU MENTION BEREA AND OTHER

INSTITUTIONS IN KENTUCKY.

>> THE LAST CHAPTER, FOUR

EXAMPLE, THE AVIATION PROGRAM AT

EKU, WORK STUDY AT BEREA, WHOLLY

UNIQUE.

THE HEALTH SERVICES THAT UK

OFFERS THROUGHOUT ALL 120

COUNTIES IN OUR STATE AND

LASTLY, THE STATE OF -- AT

CENTRE COLLEGE ARGUABLY THE BEST

IN THE COUNTRY.

WE HAVE GREAT THINGS GOING ON IN

KENTUCKY AND I HOPE PEOPLE

REALIZE THAT AND VALUE WHAT'S

HAPPENING HERE.

>> WHAT CAN HIGHER EDUCATION

LEARN FROM BUSINESS?

>> OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT

BUSINESS WANTS MORE

HIGHLY-SKILLED WORKERS.

WHAT OTHER KIND OF

COLLABORATIONS CAN BE HAPPENING

OR MAYBE THEY ARE HAPPENING AND

WE JUST DON'T KNOW TO REINFORCE

THE VALUE AND RELEVANCY OF

HIGHER EDUCATION AND

COLLABORATION WITH BUSINESS.

>> AS I HAVE WORKED WITH BOARD

MEMBERS, MANY OF WHOM ARE

BUSINESS LEADERS OR OWN THEIR

OWN BUSINESSES, I APPRECIATE

THAT HIGHER ED AT TIMES DOESN'T

FEEL LIKE IT IS AS ACCOUNTABLE

AS MAYBE A PRIVATE BUSINESS

MIGHT BE.

THERE ARE SHAREHOLDERS AND THE

SHAREHOLDERS WE EXPECT TO

RETURN.

THERE IS AN INVESTMENT IN THE

STATE OF KENTUCKY MAKES IN OUR

INSTITUTIONS AND SO, ARE WE

BEING ACCOUNTABLE?

PRODUCING THE RIGHT DEGREES?

ARE WE DOING IT IN A TIMELY WAY?

BEING EFFICIENT WITH WHAT WE

CONSIDER SACRED FUNDS THAT THE

TAXPAYERS IN STATE OF KENTUCKY

GIVE US.

SO, THAT TO ME IS ONE OF THE

BEST LESSONS THAT WE CAN LEARN.

ARE WE BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF

THE RESOURCES GIVEN TO US AND

ARE WE PRODUCING SOMETHING WITH

THOSE RESOURCES.

>> AND YOU WOULD GRADE KENTUCKY

WHERE AND HOW RIGHT NOW ON THAT?

>> WELL, I THINK WE'RE DOING

WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH WHAT WE

HAVE, I WOULD GIVE US A SOLID B,

B PLUS.

I'M ONE NOT OF THE FOR OUR

LIMITATIONS.

WE CAN DO A LOT MORE WITH WHAT

WE HAVE AND WE WILL.

>> YES.

REALLY QUICK QUESTION ABOUT

LIBERAL ARTS VERSUS STEM.

AND I SHOULDN'T SAY VERSUS BUT

FOR SOME IT FEELS THAT THERE IS

AN EMPHASIS ON STEM TO THE

DETRIMENT OF LIBERAL ARTS

EDUCATION.

>> LOOK AT THE WORD LIBERAL, THE

IT MOL GI, TO SET FREE.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH

POLITICAL AFFILIATION.

AND THE LIBERAL ARTS, REGARDLESS

OF WHAT YOU CHOOSE TO GO INTO,

TEACH YOU HOW TO THINK, HOW TO

REASON, HOW TO WRITE AND HOW TO

COMMUNICATE.

AND SO I BELIEVE THAT I WOULD

ARGUE THAT THERE IS APPLICABLITY

IN ALL DISCIPLINES, AND

GRADUATES TODAY WILL HAVE FIVE

OR SIX OR SEVEN OR EIGHT OR TEN

DIFFERENT PROFESSIONS.

THEIR JOBS, THEY ARE NOT EVEN

DEVELOPED YET THAT OUR GRADUATES

IN 2020 WILL HAVE.

SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO PREPARE

STUDENTS TO BE MALIATABLE, TO BE

ADAPTABLE, AND TO BE THE BEST

POSSIBLE CITIZENS THAT THEY CAN

BE.

>> SO WHEN YOU DO MAKE YOUR EXIT

FROM EKU WHICH WE HOPE WILL BE

MANY YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT WILL

YOU BE ABLE TO SAY OR HOPE THAT

YOU CAN SAY THAT YOU HAVE

ACCOMPLISHED THERE?

>> I HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL SAY,

YOU KNOW, MIKE CAME FROM THE

WEST WITH HIS FAMILY, AND REALLY

MADE KENTUCKY THEIR HOME.

AND THEY LEFT IT -- THE

INSTITUTION BETTER THAN HOW THEY

FOUND IT.

IT IS AN INSTITUTION THAT HAS

BEEN AROUND SINCE 1874 AND HAS A

PROUD TRADITION AND AN

UNBELIEVABLE HERITAGE AND DID WE

MAKE IT BETTER, AND I HOPE WE'LL

SAY YES.

>> AND I HOPE WE'LL SAY YES TO

THAT A LONG, LONG TIME FROM NOW.

Dr. MICHAEL BENSON, THANK YOU

SO MUCH.

AND, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING

TODAY.

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TAKE CARE.