UK begins fall semester with historic enrollment, changes in higher education
The University of Kentucky welcomed a historic group of students to campus on Monday, with what is expected to be the largest enrollment in the university’s history.
UK is predicting its largest-ever class of freshmen, estimating 6,850 first-year students enrolled this fall and a total enrollment of 36,700, according to data from earlier this year. But the fall semester also begins with many changes to higher education, including federal funding and Kentucky’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
For senior Kennedy Alexander, the changes are noticeable on campus.
“Things being renamed, finances being reallocated to different departments is definitely something that you can see and feel,” Alexander said.
“We try to make the most of any situation that we’re in, and obviously we all still want to be here. We want to fight for equity and making sure that everyone has access to all the resources they need to be successful. I think, at least the Black community, tries to do their best in that.”
House Bill 4 was passed by the Kentucky legislature earlier this year, which bans DEI at state universities and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. That includes offices, policies and practices “designed or implemented to promote or provide preferential treatment or benefits to individuals on the basis of religion, sex, color, or national origin” under the law.
Public universities in Kentucky had to be in compliance with the law by June 27.
Senior Andre Tucker Jr. said despite changes, he still felt like he had support from his community at UK.
“With some of the events being renamed or changed or altered, I think they did come out and still do a good job this year of making sure everybody was represented and having the space they needed,” Tucker said.
On Monday, multiple students said while they had heard about changes at the federal level, they hadn’t felt them personally. While they may have initially had concerns that those changes may impact things like financial aid — for example, the banning of scholarships based on race and ethnicity — students like junior Cyril Tchouta-Moussa said the university worked with him to make sure he still received scholarships as a first-generation student.
“I personally haven’t been affected directly, but I’ve definitely seen organizations and how it’s affected how they get money and what events they can actually do,” Tchouta-Moussa said. “There’s a lot of clubs that are for the minorities here at the school that aren’t really able to put up the same events because it would fall under DEI.”
Other students said they hadn’t seen much of an effect from changes at the federal and state level. Meier Patrick, a senior, said his financial aid has not been affected, and his focus is on finishing his last year of school strong.
“I think people that come to UK, they’ll enjoy it,” Patrick said. “It’s been great for me for three years, and hopefully I can get through this last one and have no regrets about coming to UK or the experience at all.”
For seniors who are starting their last year, their advice to freshman was to find a community and get involved, which could help you start building a life after graduation.
“The community you build or choose to join is just as important as the academic,” said P.C. Taylor.
“You could go to school all four years ... but because you missed out on trying to build that community, somebody could have slid you a job right after college that you never came across. Community is just as important as your academics.”
This story was originally published August 25, 2025 at 1:24 PM.