Kentucky lawmakers overrode a veto to pass a bill allowing faculty layoffs for financial reasons
Lawmakers in the Kentucky General Assembly overrode Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto of a bill that would allow public universities and community colleges in the state to fire faculty members, including tenure-track employees, for financial reasons.House Bill 490 was approved earlier in the legislative session with broad support in both chambers. The Kentucky House approved the bill by a vote of 75 to 18, while the Senate passed it by a vote of 80 to 19. Lawmakers later voted to override the governor’s veto by a vote of 80 to 19 in the House and 32 to 6 in the Senate.
What the draft law allows
The law allows the dismissal of faculty members for what it describes as “bona fide financial reasons.” These include financial necessity, low enrollment in a program or specialty, and a mismatch between revenues and costs in a department or institution.The bill requires boards of public institutions to prepare a formal process for such removals by October 1. It also stipulates that affected faculty receive 30 days’ written notice and an opportunity to respond.
Support for this measure
Bill sponsor Aaron Thompson said the legislation aims to improve financial management across institutions.The bill “gives these boards an additional tool in their toolbox to be good stewards of the future of each institution, its students and taxpayers,” Thompson said. Forbes Reports.
Opposition from faculty groups
The bill has drawn criticism from academic organizations and labor groups.The American Association of University Professors and the American Federation of Teachers said in a joint statement that this action poses risks to students and faculty. They raised concerns about the scope of the provisions and their potential for misuse.AAUP President Todd Wolfson and AFT President Randi Weingarten said the bill could be used for purposes unrelated to financial necessity.
Overruling and overruling the ruler
In his veto message, Beshear said the bill provides an unclear standard for faculty dismissal.according to ForbesThe measure does not clearly define “bona fide financial reasons,” which might allow programs or faculty positions to be targeted under claims of economic need, he wrote.Despite these concerns, the Republican-controlled Legislature voted to override the veto and pass the bill into law.
background
Universities in Kentucky have already allowed the termination of faculty members in cases of severe financial distress after a formal declaration of financial distress.The new law expands those conditions by allowing dismissal from work without such a declaration, based on broader financial criteria determined by institutions.
