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Council President Brad Cowgill, on his final day in the post, bickered with the presidents of the University of Louisville and Western Kentucky over their proposed 9 percent tuition increases, and he applauded Morehead State University President Wayne Andrews for his proposed average 7.5 percent increase.
Meanwhile, questions lingered much of the day over whether the council had offered Cowgill a 30-day interim job during a closed-door meeting and whether he might accept.
Cowgill confirmed Wednesday night that he had rejected the offer and was considering his next step in life, but wasn't sure that he would return to practicing law.
The Lexington lawyer was state budget director under former Gov. Ernie Fletcher.
It was unclear Wednesday who might become the council's interim president. Council chairman John Turner said council staff member Ron Carson, a retired co-deputy budget director, was approached but said he wasn't interested.
Meanwhile, the council cranked up its national search for a new president by naming John R. Hall of Lexington, former chairman of Ashland Inc., as chairman of a seven-member search committee. Turner said it would take three to four weeks for the council to hire a search firm and begin work.
And former council member Virginia G. Fox, the former head of KET and education cabinet secretary for Fletcher, challenged the constitutionality of Gov. Steve Beshear's action in removing her from the council when her appointment was not confirmed by the state House of Representatives.
That was a lot for one day. Nevertheless, the main topic was proposed tuition increases at the state's public universities and community colleges. The proposals, ranging from 6 to 13 percent, must be approved by the council. Hearings continue Thursday morning but a vote won't come until May 9.
The subject of ever-growing tuition touched off a spat between University of Louisville President Jim Ramsey, and Cowgill, closing out a tempestuous eight months as the council's interim president.
The argument started after Cowgill pressed Ramsey on why U of L has the highest average total cost of attending college -- more than $14,000 -- among the state's public universities. The University of Kentucky's $10,700 is second-highest.
Ramsey attributed this to Louisville's high cost of living.
Then, Cowgill asked why U of L students had led a campus protest and a demonstration at the council against high tuition.
Ramsey, his face turning Cardinal red, started pounding the table.
"I think they should be upset. I think they should be livid," Ramsey said. "I think they should spend 365 days a year in the halls of the Capitol" -- the implication being that the General Assembly was to blame for not creating new tax revenue to prevent budget cuts on the campuses.
Western President Gary Ransdell made the case for his institution charging 9 percent more for tuition.
After being questioned by Cowgill about the university's plans for the extra money, Ransdell eventually referred to his budget and said somewhat defiantly: "All of this is approved by our board, so this is going to be done."
Ransdell said that if WKU didn't get the requested tuition increase it would undergo further reductions in programs and jobs that would be "traumatic on campus."
"I know you're somewhat shielded from that, but we're not," Ransdell said to Cowgill.
Cowgill announced Tuesday he was resigning in the face of a challenge by Gov. Steve Beshear, who wanted a national search.
He got a legal opinion from Attorney General Jack Conway that said the council violated state law when it hired Cowgill on April 14 because there was no search.
Fox's challenge to Beshear's action surfaced in an April 29 letter that Turner read to the council Wednesday without comment. She said in the letter that the Kentucky Constitution requires only that her appointment be approved by the state Senate.
Fox said the state law requiring approval by both the House and the Senate violates the state Constitution as well as the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
"I believe that I was confirmed, am still a member of the council and that no vacancy exists for my position," Fox said in her letter.
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