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AN ACT relating to relating to research doctoral programs at Western Kentucky 1
University. 2
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 3
ď˘Section 1. KRS 164.295 is amended to read as follows: 4
(1) The six (6) state comprehensive universities: 5
(a) Shall provide, upon approval of the Council on Postsecondary Education, 6
associate and baccalaureate programs of instruction; 7
(b) Shall provide, upon approval of the Council on Postsecondary Education, 8
graduate programs of instruction at the master's-degree level in education, 9
business, and the arts and sciences, specialist degrees, and programs beyond 10
the master's-degree level to meet the requirements for teachers, school 11
leaders, and other certified personnel; and 12
(c) Shall provide research and service programs directly related to the needs of 13
their primary geographical areas. 14
(2) A comprehensive university may provide: 15
(a) Programs of a community college nature in their own community comparable 16
to those listed for the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, as 17
provided in KRS 164.580; 18
(b) Upon approval of the Council on Postsecondary Education, an advanced 19
practice doctoral program in nursing in compliance with KRS 314.111 and 20
314.131; and 21
(c) Upon approval of the Council on Postsecondary Education, one (1) or more 22
additional advanced practice doctoral programs. 23
(3) The Council on Postsecondary Education, in consultation with the Advisory 24
Conference of Presidents pursuant to KRS 164.021, shall develop criteria and 25
conditions upon which an advanced practice doctoral degree program may be 26
approved. The criteria shall include but not be limited to a determination of the 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 2191
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academic and workforce needs for a program, consideration of whether the program 1
can be effectively delivered through a collaborative effort with an existing program 2
at another public university within the Commonwealth, and the capacity of a 3
university to effectively offer the program. A university requesting approval of an 4
advanced practice doctoral program shall be required to provide assurance that 5
funding for the program will not impair funding of any existing program at any 6
other public university. 7
(4) The council shall promulgate administrative regulations setting forth the agreed-on 8
criteria and conditions identified under subsection (3) of this section. 9
(5) The council shall review advanced practice doctorates consistent with its review 10
schedule for all other academic programs. 11
(6) A comprehensive university shall not: 12
(a) Offer the terminal degrees of Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Musical Arts; 13
doctor's degrees required for professional practice and licensure in medicine, 14
veterinary medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, pharmacy, law, or optometry; or 15
the primary degree required for professional practice and licensure in 16
architecture. The existing school of law at Northern Kentucky University is 17
exempted from the requirements of this paragraph and Western Kentucky 18
University may offer up to five (5) research doctoral degree programs, 19
including but not limited to Doctor of Philosophy degree programs, in areas 20
that the council determines directly affect the workforce and economy of 21
Kentucky; or 22
(b) Describe itself in official publications or in marketing materials as a research 23
university or research institution. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed 24
as precluding a comprehensive university from conducting basic, applied, or 25
translational research. 26