Higher education in March: Anti-hazing bill becomes law and UK’s accreditation process
A bill criminalizing hazing became law, and the University of Kentucky made strides froward in a lengthy re-accreditation process last month.
Welcome to the third edition of a new monthly story bringing you a round-up of higher education news in Kentucky. This year, the Herald-Leader will publish a story each month with news about colleges and universities from around the Commonwealth.
The focus will be on Lexington-area schools, but the goal is to highlight news from schools around the state, too. We’ll highlight several different aspects of higher education news involving faculty, campus, healthcare, awards, research and other bits of news that may otherwise fly under the radar.
Have something that should be considered for next month’s round-up? Contact higher education reporter Monica Kast at mkast@herald-leader.com.
Anti-hazing bill becomes law
Last month, a bill criminalizing hazing in Kentucky was passed by both the Senate and House of Representatives. Gov. Andy Beshear signed Senate Bill 9 into law last week.
Intentionally or wantonly engaging in hazing if it results in death or serious physical injury to a minor or a student would be a Class D felony, punishable for up to five years in prison, under SB 9. It would also be a Class A misdemeanor to recklessly engage in hazing, punishable by up to a year in jail.
Named “Lofton’s Law” after the University of Kentucky student Thomas “Lofton” Hazelwood who died of alcohol toxicity in 2021, the bill has had the support of the Hazelwood family throughout the legislative session.
“Our goal was to make sure that Senate Bill 9 was a deterrent for future activities,” Bill sponsor Sen. Robby Mills, R-Henderson, said. “But also, to say that in Kentucky, student safety is important to our state government. Young people that go to college in Kentucky should have the ability to have a great time in college and not have the fear of hazing that has been so prevalent over the last few years.”
Hazelwood was an 18-year-old freshman when he was found unresponsive in the FarmHouse Fraternity house on Oct. 18, 2021. He drank approximately 18 one-ounce shots of Wild Turkey 101 bourbon within 45 minutes, according to a report from the university. On the night he died, his blood alcohol concentration was 0.354, more than four times the legal limit.
“We just want to thank everybody that has helped us through this journey,” said Tracey Hazelwood, Lofton’s mother. “It’s a phone call no one should have to get, and we hope this never happens to anyone ever again. This is not going to bring my baby back, but it will save other lives and that is all we can hope for – the safety of other students.”
UK campus news
At the end of March, a group of higher education administrators visited UK as part of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges re-affirmation process. The process is lengthy and takes place every 10 years, but ultimately should result in UK keeping its accreditation from SACSCOC, UK President Eli Capilouto said.
Accreditation is important for UK to be able to continue receiving federal money for financial aid and makes sure universities meet certain standards for providing education. The process has been led by Provost Robert DiPaola and a team that put together a report totaling more than 600 pages about the university.
“Although we won’t receive official word on reaffirmation until the end of the year, I am very pleased to report to our campus community that this panel told me and our internal accreditation team Thursday morning that there will be no areas of noncompliance or concern out of more than 70 standards evaluated,” Capilouto said in an email.
UK has a new Vice President for Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement, Jake Lemon. Lemon comes to UK after overseeing philanthropic efforts at the University of Connecticut and the UConn Foundation, according to the university.
Lemon replaces Mike Richey, who retired from UK after 50 years at the end of 2021. The search for the position was launched shortly before his retirement.
UK uses AI to support recycling on campus
The University of Kentucky launched a new recycling sorting system that uses artificial intelligence, called Oscar Sort.
The system identifies recyclables from waste using AI technology from Inuitive AI, an artificial intelligence company creating software to reduce waste, and instructs which waste bins the item can go into, according to the university.
For example, if someone was throwing away a plastic cup with a straw, the system would tell the user to recycle the cup and place the straw in the landfill waste can. The system will be updated with items that are able to be recycled at UK.
“Oscar is more than a sorting assistant: it’s a fun, interactive resource for students, faculty and staff to receive instant feedback about UK’s mixed recycling stream,” said UK’s Recycling/Waste Reduction Specialist Senior Ryan Lark. “Education will be a vital part in helping UK reach its goal of becoming a zero-waste campus by 2030, and we’re excited to add Oscar to our roster of educational resources.”
Oscars are available in two locations: the Gatton Student Center and The 90.