Presidents and officials from Kentucky’s independent colleges and universities gathered Dec. 13 for a look at how 2024 state legislation and federal regulations will affect higher education. The Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities hosted the AIKCU Winter Meeting on State & Federal Affairs.

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The event took place at Midway University, one of AIKCU’s 18 member institutions. Dr. John P. Marsden, Midway president and chair of the AIKCU Board of Directors, welcomed more than 100 guests to campus.
 
"This is the first time AIKCU has hosted a legislative preview of this kind," AIKCU President Mason Dyer said. "We had a great turnout, with presidents from almost all of our campuses able to attend in person and many of their top staff participating as well."

Dyer added, "We appreciate the state legislators who took time to give us some insight into their priorities for Kentucky's next budget session. We also got a heads up from presenters on upcoming changes to federal regulations that our member colleges need to start preparing for now."
 
State Affairs Preview
With the 2024 Kentucky General Assembly kicking off Jan. 2, several state legislators were on hand to give their take on the top issues facing the legislature. Sen. Damon Thayer, majority floor leader, started the session with a broad overview. 
 
His remarks were followed by a discussion of issues facing higher education in Kentucky. That panel was composed of Sen. Stephen West, chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Education; Rep. James Tipton, chair of the House Standing Committee on Education; and Sen. Matthew Deneen, co-chair of the Lottery Trust Fund Task Force.
 
The next segment focused on budget priorities and was led by Sen. Amanda Mays Bledsoe, vice chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations & Revenue; Sen. Donald Douglas, member of the Senate Standing Committee on A&R; and Rep. Josh Bray, member of the House Standing Committee on A&R.
 
Federal Affairs Update
Wesley Whistle, special assistant in the Office of the Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Education, traveled from Washington, D.C., to provide an update on new federal regulations impacting higher ed.
 
AIKCU Affiliate Group Meetings
In addition to the plenary sessions, the AIKCU Board of Directors held         held a meeting that included a discussion with U.S. Congressman Andy Barr via phone. The board is composed of the presidents of each of AIKCU’s 18 member colleges and universities.

Several of the AIKCU Affiliate Groups also met to discuss matters related to their area of expertise. Attorneys from Sturgill Turner gave an update to business officers on "Fair Labor Standards Act Hot Topics," to chief academic officers on "IP & Privacy Issues Related to AI," and to human resources officers on "Training Supervisors."
 
A representative from the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority presented to the financial aid officers on "Recent Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Changes."