>> Former AG commissioner and gubernatorial candidate Ryan corals was named the 4th president and CEO of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System in the fall of 2023.

He started his new job on January.

One of 2024, the former community college student himself now leads the 16 college system.

A conversation with Doctor Ryan corals now on connections.

♪ ♪ ♪ Thank you so much for joining us for connections today.

I'm Renee Shaw.

We're delighted to be joined by the first native Kentuckian to lead the state's largest post-secondary institution in the state and the primary source for college and workforce readiness and education with more than 70 campuses across the state Kctcs doctor corals wrapped up 8 years as Kentucky's AG commissioner at the end of 2023. and spent 3 terms in the Kentucky House of Representatives before that tonight, generation Farmer who hold 7 college degrees and he himself was a community college student.

He joins us today to discuss how he'll lead the 16 college system called Kctcs.

Of course, correct from a recent audit that found financial missteps and work with state lawmakers on his priority issues this legislative session.

Good to see you, doctor.

>> Let me back.

I guess you could say I'm going back to school.

>> Going back to school.

I mean, literally is like the state's largest school system in and many ways, right?

It is a lot of people may be familiar with the local community college.

We have 16 of them.

>> But we as a system have over 100,000 students about 4,000 employees, 70 campuses.

So we're actually the largest higher education provider in the state.

Now we focus on our two-year programs, vocational technical program certificates.

So we're in the sandbox of higher Ed.

We're not a regional or cough more.

UK new, though research institution, but we are in my view, the most impactful, higher education into t across the Commonwealth.

Yeah.

>> We'll talk a little bit more about that.

But let's get to your previous life, which is just 52 days ago.

When you are at commissioner and I read were you told Jonathan Shell who you could did you all served?

We were there at the same time in the House.

You were left.

Yeah.

A lap time is like he is following you He's now commissioner that you said you left him a well oiled machine with a full, a full tank of gas.

So talk about what you consider your greatest legacy to be as your 8 years at Commissioner.

>> I love being commissioner of agriculture across Kentucky is for someone who grew up on a tobacco farm.

Started working full time at age 6 for a dollar an hour.

And I was lucky to be paid anything quite so many Kentuckians can relate to that.

Getting to serve as the commissioner was an honor of a lifetime.

So the top achievements we're raising money for 4 H and FFA giving back to those young students 4 organizations I once participated in, we raise 5.1 million dollars.

We also did something significant to address hunger in Kentucky with the Kentucky Hunger Initiative and I'm going to continue that mission where a goal in life was to kctcs elected office.

Whatever's next.

All right.

I want to continue to support our food banks and try to decrease food insecurity caused Kentucky.

But I think the number one thing was that we were responsive towards the needs of Kentuckians and not just farmers.

We were there during the highs and lows of of AG production were also there for every day.

Kentucky ends of floods and tornadoes and making sure that we had hot meals for students, especially during the summer months, more through a natural disasters as well.

I really enjoyed it.

But this is a new chapter in life.

Yeah.

One of the things you just mentioned about food and security.

And we know that doctor Aaron Thompson, who's been on this program many times.

He's the president of the council.

>> And post-secondary education has said that that is a big issue that they're facing with their students.

It's not just the academics.

It's like if they can't learn if they don't have full time is right.

And that's not just a k through 12 issue.

It's beyond.

So is this something that you're also hearing in the community college system?

>> It is.

And unfortunately not a surprise to me.

1, 7, Kentucky INS food insecure.

One in 4 is not one in 5 K through 12 students, but sometimes we forget that those students transitioning has become adults into higher education.

It's not that they don't have the support that you normally would associate with a college student.

We actually have food pantries on 14 of our 16 colleges.

So we're actually raise money right now to help substance and food because it if you go to school on empty stomach doesn't matter if you're in elementary school or a college student learning might be the last thing on your mind.

And so we've got to take care of the basic needs in those wrap-around services.

It also includes mental health awareness issues that also includes public safety.

And so it's a bigger conversation right?

>> You also mentioned it didn't matter wherever you were in your station in life.

You know, this was going to be an issue you are committed to and that you ended by saying elected office.

Is that something that you're thinking about pursuing again later on in life?

>> Rene, I'm really happy where I'm Look, I enjoyed running for governor this past year.

Came in second.

But you know what?

God had a different plan for me and I'm at peace with that.

I'm actually really diving right into some big issues in higher Ed.

And I think that the work that I'm focused on a kctcs is where I'm going to be for the foreseeable future because it's impactful in and I had a mom that cared.

And a mom that inspired me in so I know there's speculation out there, but let me to put that to bed right now.

I'm thrilled and excited to be heading up the Kentucky career and technical college system across Kentucky.

And that's where a plan to be.

Yeah.

Let's talk about your mother because what we know you to be a lifelong learner.

I mentioned, I think in the introduction of people will see at the bottom of the screen.

>> You have 7 degrees.

We don't name them all.

Haha right.

But it's important to have a doctorate.

You have a judge juris why is lifelong learning so important to you and and what are the lessons that your mother told talk to you that helped kind of I'm encouraged that pursuit.

>> I was so fortunate to have a father that continues to farm today.

A mother that spent 30 years in the classroom teaching at Kentucky State University and so it's not uncommon for her to bring home her work in grade papers at night.

And so I was just lucky to have a an education influencer in my life.

And both my parents are first generation college goers and and both of them at one point and have indoor plumbing.

They both KET that education was a way for upward mobility, but they put the fear of God I remember probably around age 6 or 7.

She said, Ryan, you're going to college, you're going to pay for yourself.

And so when I got to UK and started studying agriculture economics and political science, I was took 24 sometimes 27 credit hours.

A semester allow.

Was it UK just a stretch that daughter that dollar that if I was an investment, the money I earn going up on the farm, but also invest my time on it, make the most of it.

So I have 7 college degrees that came as a surprise to a lot of people when I was a finalist for it, the presidency of.

But for me as my mother, he said education is the great equalizer.

We know that phrase.

A lot of people use it.

Along with an experience of representing all college students on the Council Infosec education.

Governor Fletcher put me in that position and that really opened my eyes.

And then, of course, the master's degree from Harvard.

And I urge our education ministration that I finished up my doctoral work down at Some just feel really blessed.

But I can relate.

I can relate to those countless students who have met either of the previous roles at commission or legislator just everyday Kentuckyian that our community and technical college system is the entry point for untold number of Kentuckians.

He may not maybe have the confidence to go on and start off and he had a big for university you have those eager high school students engaged in our dual credit program to get ahead that some of them are graduating with an associate's degree before they graduate high school at incredible were also about adult learners.

We're also about second chance employment people that are getting back up on their feet, whether it's free with recovery re-entry.

And so that's what's cool about the community college system is it's a school for everyone and anyone who wants to transform their lives and the quality of instruction is amazing.

>> While you're an ambassador, right, having attended community college yourself and look at the trajectory that you've been able to take, right?

That's right.

I took a couple classes at then.

Lexington Community called the smell.

You see, right?

Yes, with and for me, I want to make sure that we're relay double and that we also lift ourselves up.

But they were part of a one education system in Kentucky.

>> And so our transfer component is such an amazing thing.

Just today I talked to one of our students on the phone so they can't wait to transfer to another school.

Got my.

So she gets out of the way.

I'm gonna go for that baccalaureate degree.

Talk to another student last week was working hard and could not wait to tell me the has a guaranteed job here in the Lexington area with an HVAC technician certificate probably making pretty good money starting out.

It's making more money than I did.

My grandma had, right.

Isn't that something?

And that's one of the things run to is recruitment.

>> We the post COVID world.

We know for a fact that we need more Americans who work with their hands, whether it's electricians, plumbers, welders.

>> You're going to pursue yourself and whatever spare time.

That's right.

Yeah.

I think it will take a welding degree.

Oh, yeah, that's something my dad probably will think it's most useful.

Agree I right?

Yeah.

But you think about the need for plumbers and yes, those types of things.

I mean, we're all in me to that.

I know, you know, and they make really good money of court.

How much I've dished out for the exactly.

And that's what makes this an interesting time.

>> In the history of higher education in America.

Americans are openly questioning the value of college right now.

And that's a scary thought.

And but our community and technical college programs, many of our programs have starting salary.

Sometimes 70,080 $1000 here.

And if you're a young person, 80 $80,000 is starting salary.

Sometimes that could change not just your life, but your family and it changes the socioeconomic aspect of our communities.

And let me tell you, we have a work force need in Kentucky that is severe.

Only 56%.

But Kentucky ends are Our and our workforce participation rate right now which we know.

Kctcs needs to be the biggest tool in the tool box with solving our workforce needs.

And that's an area that the General Assembly wants me to be very aggressive on my Board of regents.

The governor's office.

And of course, our employers say Ryan, let's reconnect with our employers and that's where I'm going to spending a lot of my time during my presidency.

Kctcs not just focused on The Gen Ed, the trains for the technical vocational programs, but making sure that we are linking up with local employers to make sure that we are serving their needs as well.

Right?

>> And the cost, right?

You can cut your tuition or your student loan obligations significantly by getting that associates tournament, right.

And then finishing up the other 2 years or taking advanced courses to begin a post-secondary or post graduate degree.

It all works out.

That's right.

When you include health are key scholarship, the other a cap and other programs at the state provides.

>> In addition to our work ready and trained scholarships, chances are you're not going to pay full full sticker price.

And sometimes our employers have partnerships with us tonight will pay for you.

Got a call to called, earn and learn and we're going continue to expand.

So it's going to ask about that because you mentioned are going to spend a great deal of time talking to employers.

Yes, is there more that they can do on that?

And by subsidizing future employees, education?

>> Are employers are so desperate for workers right now that they're coming to the table with offers that simply didn't exist 5 or 10 years ago.

They're saying if you at the community college system can help us a pipeline for workforce.

We're willing to make the investment whether it will cover the car to the Casa books.

We'll cover part of the tuition or full tuition in some cases.

And we're also going to take a complete top to bottom review of all 700 different programs and career pathways we offer right now because we make sure the kctcs is getting its house in order to if we have a program has very low enrollment or no enrollment, we'd ask ourselves a question.

Do we need to continue that?

We future-proofing ourself making sure that Kctcs is ready for the next generation of jobs.

Whether it's battery plants, whether it's a and now a 5 early connected, Kentucky making sure that we're offering programs that are related bull and relevant for the future.

And then also look at where we know there are severe shortages of state, nursing, for example, 6,000 people are expected to be needed to become nurses in Kentucky Kctcs as the system as the largest nursing provider in our state.

We need to do more.

And so we're not just about bricks and mortar and books and going to school.

This is about workforce development in Kentucky in transforming our local economies.

So talking work and talking with employers as one way.

Is there a way that you can connect to the K through 12 system?

As we know many schools have career pathway programs and even schools are designed to say if you want to go into health sciences, this is the hallway and all your classes are here or whatever.

The >> the sector is.

Do you see that becoming more robust in a part of your priority?

>> Absolutely.

One 3rd of our Rowley's are actually high school press painting or dual credit program.

And some of them say I want to become a welder.

I want to get started right now.

So I can get that starting salary.

Start my career.

Some of them are saying I want a knockout.

That associate's degree and go immediately to a hot to a four-year baccalaureate degree.

And so we actually have a very large presence in our high schools with the amount of dual credit offering.

So we have, but it also means they were talking about careers and for us as a manufacturing and agriculture state with a lot of new technology coming in here.

I think we're poised for a grand reset.

Kctcs was a result of House Bill won in 1997. us were 25 years old.

We make sure that we are future proofing yourself and resetting the system for the next 25 years.

So that means that we're relevant that we are affordable and then we have access for any and all Kentuckyian set one up time.

Check out our colleges.

You know.

>> Just thinking about Elizabethtown community and Alex, right.

Look how their position to help with that for battery Right?

And we've talked to that president about how they are even already working on those workforce.

Training is to be able to take people who whether they're adult learners or their fresh out of college or whatever were in high school to give trying to get those good jobs.

We know they're going to pay quite well.

That's right.

A lot of our jobs that we're working with right now.

The Cabinet for economic development.

>> Starting pay.

25 30 $35 an hour.

That's a great example.

We have Toyota here in Central Kentucky, my hometown of Georgetown or even the mom and pop store down the street.

We want to make sure that we focus on workforce because people, again, people are openly questioning.

What's the point?

Why should I have a crushing student loan debt, Washington besties years of my life?

And if we can say that it will change your life.

Was a a degree or certificate.

Our community technical college students on average earn $10,000 more each year.

The nose with a high school diploma.

The proof is in the pudding.

Kentucky needs more workers and kctcs these be part of the solution.

>> So it's not just a big boon for the people, but also for the state's economy.

So there was a study that was released in early February of this year of this year that say that Kctcs added 3.9 billion dollars in annual income to Kentucky's economy and supported more than 54,000 jobs in the state.

That's one out of every 49 that make you feel pretty good.

>> It makes you feel good.

But we need to go from good to that.

I think that we need not get out the ballpark.

We have this these big threatening higher education and expected enrollment cliff that everyone is going to be dealing with in a couple years again, the relevancy of higher education.

But if we're playing and owning that area of workforce, making sure that that we are abiding by our statutorily defined goals of being the best community Technical College program in the nation.

We're going to make sure that that we are around for the next 25 years.

And so we are responsible for one 49 jobs.

We can do better than that.

>> Yeah.

So you mentioned this enrollment Cliff bought in August of 2023.

Was reported that Casey D S Kctcs had almost the 78,000 plus students.

A 5.8% increase.

You kicked off the new academic year.

And if you put that in context with the national, make sure there was the report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center that says Community college growth is pretty good nationwide.

So why are you already predicting doom and gloom?

>> It's not doom and gloom.

It's about predicting that berthing rates went down and 8 financial recession.

And so we've got to make sure that that we are offering programs that people want to take because it leads to a job.

Excedrin.

And so it's part of my job not to look 2 feet in front of us might look 3 miles down the road and making sure that we're ready as a system that involves some changes.

We do expect some changes to the system.

We're we're addressing an internal audit right now.

A state audit auditor, the reported some financial issues and we're correcting many of those.

And I am I want to make sure I'm clear this.

We are committed.

I am committed to fixing every single item found in the audit in the upcoming forensic audit as well.

>> So let's talk about the audit that was released under the previous auditor, Mike Harmon that came out in December before he left.

Yeah, I found some of these financial missteps and even some nepotism rules that may have been violated.

Talk to us about what was found in this 24 million dollars that the system overcharged.

Yeah, colleges, I think that's really fuzzy for people to quite grasp.

What does that even mean?

>> Well, the audit covered many things, including around 100 million dollars, which were in question.

The money was never missing.

It was just maybe misclassified or was not reported to the Board of Regents the way it should have.

I'm committed to transparency.

So we have 24 million dollars that are called charge backs that actually belong to the 16 colleges.

It was in my first 2 weeks in office.

We went ahead and return that money back.

2 are 16 colleges.

The other money.

That's what this forensic audit is going to uncover.

We to make sure that legally we know what happened.

There was a time line that says how do we end up with that in the financial state?

Where are today U of L went through this before.

And so look.

I'm I'm a big believer that sunshine is the best disinfectant.

And so with me starting on January first, let's document where we're at.

Figure out what happened in the past.

I'm not here to point fingers.

I'm here to solve problems.

Let's reset the system.

And I think it's going to be a bigger conversation.

There are other internal things.

And look, I don't want to focus on the negatives.

Those also uncovered that there's a general counsel there, a previous tunnel council that was practicing law without a license.

It's problematic that there may have been issues with open.

Did sourcing with a billion dollar budget.

A lot of people as well make sure that we're putting in processees for best practices.

And that's part of my job when I report to the Board of Regents that we are, I guess you could say resetting the system fixing problems just like I learned to do on the farm has grown up right.

>> So all of those people missteps either intentionally or unintentionally are they still employed underneath the system?

>> Not to my belief know, and we have a great team of people kctcs that there's a lot of folks that just they want to get to that next level.

Is my prediction and hope that once we get through these financial matters that we are in the same sentence as UK as U of L as Western or you can you check your picture?

University?

We should be in the same sentence when it comes to how important the community and technical colleges are are brighter.

Days are ahead of us.

We're already a big a provider for education in Kentucky.

We can do it better, but let's fix the problems.

But the dignified what happened and Putin Processees to prevent us from getting it going back in that direction.

And let's just get it right.

>> So there was a new PR campaign that touted what Kctcs can do for you.

What would it look like?

>> Where the job juggernaut of Kentucky.

Nice.

And we're also the the entity that you can.

You don't have to drive to a big city.

There were already present and 70 on 70 campuses that were there's a reason communities and community college.

We have a community footprint that we want to be part of town and gown.

Experience and especially our dual credit program.

You all you have to do.

Sign up for college class and start your college career.

So for me, it's about jobs.

It's about transforming lives and getting being being part of the bigger economic development strategy for the Commonwealth.

>> So let's talk some of the the funding.

So there was a report that the Kentucky General Assembly had commission.

That's a resolution along given all that.

But the council on post-secondary education had to do this.

This report that found that Kentucky's community college funding, it was the 6 worst in the nation.

And tuition for in-state students is higher than the national average.

Is that true?

So there's a balancing act Our community colleges are not supported by local taxes.

>> Most of the states in a in America.

There's a local component funding opponent in Kentucky because of our creation in 1997.

We are supported by state funds and we're appreciative the General Assembly where we're at right now in the halls of Frankfort, talking with our legislators about that.

But also we're also a big recipient of federal financial aid.

And so I was in DC just a few weeks ago if there are opportunities to pull down a typically workforce related.

Let's make it as cheap as possible for students to attend college and also make sure that we don't sacrifice access with our affordability.

And I think I'm not prepared to say today.

I think we may have a strategy in place that may address this interesting.

>> So when you talked about convince saying folks of the value of higher education, do you believe that you have to convince the policymakers lawmakers in Frankfort of the value of the community and technical college system and do you think you'll get what you asked for and your budget request will time?

We'll see on the budget request.

And as a former legislator, hold your breath until April 15 said I think we're good position because people know that that the strategic plan and mission of our community technical college is unique compared to the others.

And I want to also make a bold statement today as well.

We're not competitors with the other universities were collaborators because oftentimes where the feeder programs for their baccalaureate or doctoral programs down the line.

But what's good about us is that we have a big presence across Kentucky and we're going to continue to do that.

I think we have an overall positive impression and let me tell you something, one of my jobs as being president as being the biggest cheerleader possible about the successes of Kctcs.

So I want to be focusing on the positives.

Yes, we have these audit issues to get through.

But every week we're going to be highlighting our students, our faculty and staff that are knocking out the ballpark because they care and often times they're part of the local community as well.

I'm not try to get this question, but I think we'll have to continue it.

As you know, there's been lots of conversations circling in Frankfort for a long time about a four-year institution of publicly supported.

>> For institution and South East or eastern Kentucky, there's been conversations to Johnson.

The WKU Public Radio reported the day that we had this conversation about Hazard community and technical college and the headline was Hazard University, right?

And maybe perhaps that could be elevated to university status.

I know it's a premature proposition, but the the the the infrastructure that would have to be in place to make that happen and the timeline for that.

Can you give us any kind of intel on what that would look like?

>> The answer is no, I don't.

I don't think anyone knows what will happen down there.

But one thing about being a policymaker either in this role previous someone is making sure we're doing it right for Kentucky.

I think a lot of folks would say maybe there is an education desert for higher Education, Inc institutions and presence in parts of the state replete economically depressed areas.

And so we're going to be and active participant in these conversations are hazard community and technical college is one of 4 that we have an eastern Kentucky to have a big footprint.

They're pumping out graduates every cent every other semester.

Right now they're doing a great job.

But does it need to be elevated into something new that will be innovative and somewhat rare in America right.

But we're going to wait and see what the study comes up.

I know that President Stivers is talking about this right now.

And so we want to be part of that discussion.

I don't know what's going to happen next or the procedures that would that would take.

Let's do it right for Kentucky.

Yeah.

>> Well, good morning and it will have to have you back to get a follow-up on that action that study come to fruition, the legislation and whatever happens next year will come back to school of me that I welding I love to do that.

Actually up probably burn every part of my body.

But anyway, it's always good to see you.

Doctor, corals, great to see you.

Thank you for your continued service to the Commonwealth.

And thank you all for joining us today.

We so appreciate it.

Remember that if you want to know what's happening in Frankfort, we have got the goods every week night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central right here on KET.

Kentucky Edition, we break it down for you and then make sure that you listen to our podcast on KET KET Dot Org, Slash podcast and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, elsewhere.

I'm there.

Thanks again for watching.

Take really good care.

And also to send.

♪ ♪ ♪