♪ Doctor Eli Capitol became the 12th president of the University of Kentuckyian 2011.

>> His time in the UK has been longer than any other current public university president and the Commonwealth.

And he's 10 plus years has his vision for the flagship university match.

The current reality, a conversation with UK President Eli Kappeler, though it's now on connections.

♪ ♪ ♪ Thank you for joining us on connections today.

I'm Renee Shaw since coming to the University of Kentucky in 2011, doctor Eli Kappeler do is help the state's flagship university grow to more than 5 and a half billion dollars in total operations and his lead to more than 3 billion dollar transformation of the physical campus.

A native of Montgomery, Alabama Doctor Kappa Ludo previously served as provost of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and dean of the U A B School of Public Health Doctor Capital to hold several undergraduate and graduate degrees from the schools within the University of Alabama system.

A doctor of dental medicine from you, a B and a doctorate and health policy and management from Harvard University.

And we're happy to have doctor Capital join us today.

Thank you, Sir.

Thank you, Renee.

One of the things I wanted to talk about is your background because many people may not realize that you started out in dentistry.

So you are dentists turn, educator, turn administrator, did you ever think along that line that you would become a university president or did you even aspire to?

>> An accidental president in many ways was a practicing dentist, wanted to help people learn dot could one of the time.

Gained an interest in public health?

And I got restless and really was, gee, you can treat entire communities rather than patients.

One of the time I'm curious, one thing led to love being a student and opportunities to take classes at night, pursue degrees and then was a couple of fellowships that allow me to return to school full time.

A little bit.

I know that all that the statistics program evaluation, economics, medical decision making really prepares you to do many of the things that I do today.

>> Right.

It's pretty vast skill set to possess.

Isn't it?

Yes, when you arrived in Lexington because you are satisfied if University of Alabama, Birmingham, when you came here, what was it about the University of Kentucky community and maybe even the larger Lexington community that drew, you hear and you thought, you know, I think I might find a place here.

>> Had >> headhunter call me and said this is a remarkable place.

You need to take a look at it.

I wasn't that interested in moving us.

Pretty content in the position I had a deep road routes in that community.

My wife and above.

And I was pestered in a way.

She said, you know, look at these things, sent me the 20 business plan.

The doctor Todd Borge doubt heard him present that at a meeting several years earlier.

I remember reading about bucks for brains in Kentucky.

That was a bold move higher education certainly notice.

So I thought take a look.

I want on the first interview.

call my wife as I was going back to the airport and told her I'd done poorly.

She said really, don't worry about it.

You're not really looking for a job.

And so far.

And I said to her.

But but Mary from this interview, I like these And so I was thrilled.

We were thrilled when I was called back to be a finalist.

>> My wife and I had never been to Lexington.

We made a sneak visit here, walked the campus for a day and a half.

Nobody KET who we were.

The friendliness, the warmth.

We went to the Wt young library just hung out in the basement for a while were a lot of students had congregated.

My wife said this is a sanctuary for education.

That's what we And so then I was particularly and yeah.

>> You think about all that.

You have a complex, you know, you had some pretty good size goals when you started out almost 12 years ago to build new residents halls to really upgrade that enhanced the student experience on campus and all of the construction that's going on or has gone on 1 billion dollars and physical improvements.

Do you think that your greatest legacy and achievement so far at UK?

>> We've invested 3 billion dollars.

Excuse me as mayor.

I want to any success we've had at the University of Kentucky has been because of an enormous collective effort.

When you stand up a mass vaccine clinic in 5 to 6 days and deliver 250,000 shots of hope to COVID pandemic.

It is.

It is who we are.

So when I got here and I talked about some of these things are really didn't know how we were going to do it.

But it's not talking more and more people.

We discovered the ways we could do So I want to first make clear that we part the we part.

Tremendous.

A group of dedicated administrators, faculty and staff.

Fully supported board.

That was ready we came up with those imaginative ways and to get all that started.

But it's not about the building.

Just not about the bricks and mortar.

We KET we had the infrastructure in combination with a remarkable talent.

To move the things that were important to Kentucky.

We need more people with we want to healthier wealthier was or conduct Kentucky.

Great teachers and researchers.

Great caregivers working within modern infrastructure can deliver on those things.

So we built the an even stronger foundation.

On top of a incredible tradition of of service.

And we've been able to move all those numbers in the right direction.

So are really.

Enjoy looking at buildings.

>> I understand you have a hobby of visiting college campuses and checking out their I How do you think UK stacks up to some that you would stat standouts?

>> I think we're in the astounding place.

And and we have record enrollment this year of over 6100 students.

We know that that campus tour.

powerful and the decision make right they spend time on those tours getting to know people, many of them come back, spend time with our remarkable faculty.

But they use those physical structures that you've invested in those.

As a proxy for what you care about.

If we want strong living learning experiences, you've got to have places to learn.

If you want to build community, you've got to have good dining facilities where people can have a healthy meal meals break bread together get to know one another.

So all those spaces were built for people to gather and and heighten the opportunity to feel like, gee, I belong >> the University of Kentucky, certainly the intellectual citadel of of perhaps the state, but of certainly of the Central Kentucky area.

And I'm curious because you talked about the commitment and the vision for the university to be involved in community building and serving the community and a time when we think about the changing role, perhaps of higher education or the perception of what higher education can given the value of it.

You know, we hear a lot when the economy is is performing at a higher level.

People wonder, do I need to go to a four-year institution?

Do I need that bachelor's degree or advanced degree or terminal degree?

What do you say to those who are questioning whether or not higher education is worth the investment?

>> I would say the data.

Still strongly indicate.

a college education.

It's certainly going to greater financial means.

But the data also indicate.

You're going to have a deeper purpose and meaning in life.

You're going to be able to serve your community more capably.

are in going to enjoy better health.

It's tough to say that the college degree.

Is a guarantee ticket.

You've got to work hard.

You've got to earn all these things but those data certainly indicate this other thing that.

Believe when you come to the University of Kentucky, which is so unique.

We're one of about 8 campuses in the country that has on a contiguous track of land.

Everything from an academic medical center to a law school College of Fine Arts Arts and sciences engineer.

You name it.

It's here.

The problems that face us today are solved at the intersection of the disciplines.

We have those here.

And then the heart and soul of the University of Kentucky.

Is also quite evident in all 120 counties.

Star Extension we retrieved.

A photograph, a grainy one black and white from the early 19, 100's, what was called back then home demonstration agent.

On settle back.

There were pots and pans hanging off the back of that cycle.

The bags were filled with food and other goods.

They were going into the small remote communities in eastern Kentucky to teach you how to prepare nonperishable foods to get you through a long winter.

There were no grocery stores in this country at the time.

Certainly not in eastern Kentucky.

And then you fast-forward 100 years later.

Again on horseback.

Getting food supplies to people stranded because of those floods.

things change.

Not as much as we think, one thing common about the University of Kentucky.

It cares deeply about Kentucky.

Passing that on to the next generation through this unique educational experience, it's far beyond data on the in quality of life.

You know.

We we we need to pass on this tradition of service.

>> One of the things you're during also to enhance and elevate the student experience is this new initiative UK invests which is the first of its kind one of a kind in the This is to help.

And I think about wow, I could use this some 30 years ago helping students understand financial literacy and awareness.

It's a holistic approach to mean healthy mind, body and spirit.

It seems to be tell us how this idea came how much money is set aside for this, what students stand to gain.

And I understand it's in a tiered approach to roll this out.

Why that as well.

Sheriff?

>> Well, this what I love about the University of Kentucky.

We adopted as one of our foundational principles inspiring ingenuity and everything we do.

And we certainly do it in the research in the traditional ways won't imagine a history book that reveals truths.

We didn't know about to opioid research and to hopefully curb deaths from that scourge here in Kentucky.

We do it all.

But we also think about what are the creative ways we can assist our students, prepare them for that life of meaning and purpose.

So we are responsive.

We have a whole a rain out of new mental health services, the sport students.

And one of the things we thought about as preparing you to be financially aware and responsible.

So I have a team of people.

I do a little finger painting.

They come back with and then we usually go and seek partners many things.

What we do, we are experts in.

But there are people around the country who are.

So we found an educational into tiaa grads used by hundreds of thousands.

People well tested.

And then we found Fidelity would have which happens to be the company.

The services most of our faculty and staff when it comes to their retirement plans.

You know, we brought these together and said, Gee, how can we create early habits inform students using new technology with a hot touch so that they can start developing the skills early on.

A lot of this is about a Early savings.

We rolled out our first program in show the power compounding interest.

You start now.

You know, $3 and a set of You're going to be a multi-millionaire, right?

All right.

If you wait 10 years, you're not.

early impressions on our students show them how to do it, give them the apps to do it.

And then reward them.

And we're philanthropy dollars athletics.

Now has the opportunity to make funds available to student athletes to their programs.

So we want them to be responsive, responsible and see these investments grow.

Learn how to make investments right, develop those habits just as they would.

In a healthy lifestyle right?

>> You just mentioned about opioid addiction.

And I do want to just pivot their real quickly with the latest overdose fatality report which came out and a late summer, the 2021 drug overdose report found that there were 2,250 Kentuckyian 2 died from drug overdoses.

And 21, it was a 14 and a half percent increase compared to the year prior.

We know that it was a 2019 UK received 97 million Dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health tip for research and treatment for opioid addiction.

You set this goal to reduce opioid deaths by 40% and 3 years.

So if I'm doing my math, right, rear where there are almost there, how are we?

How are you UK going toward that goal?

Are you there and what needs to change in order to get to that?

Mark?

>> We did receive that grant.

20 faculty from 9 different colleges working with state and local government and non-governmental organizations to prepare for a community response.

Nobody had on the radar.

A COVID a pandemic.

reduced isolation.

Loneliness.

Made in person interventions, which that was largely built upon Holly compromised.

But those faculty and community representatives and government leaders, I think was undaunted.

They came up with creative ways, still deliver what they thought would curb this.

Another.

I think.

Known at the time.

But no one could imagine.

Fentanyl was introduced at the levels that it is.

Still we participate with 43 other states.

Communities are so to Randomize.

You're trying to figure out what works.

They combine all this data from these different states.

Saying this is the intervention.

we introduced here.

I think they're combining those data now to look at those results.

So you see.

Increases in the aggregate.

We don't yet know the impact of those interventions across all those communities that got.

The the intervention.

Yeah.

>> So that it's to be seen.

Yes, and the work still continues.

And of course, COVID you bring that up.

I'm just curious how UK had adapted during the pandemic.

And I I don't know if we can clinically that were over the pandemic, but living with the pandemic.

How did it change your perception of what the university should be doing or even maybe the involvement in the community and even health and protection measures that should be consistent.

>> Well, there was no playbook for this.

So we assembled groups one time over 500 people.

We broke into teams.

We're going to open up by campus.

We didn't know how to do that.

So this is what the University of Kentucky does best tackles a question that nobody has answers to comes up with the best one we think will And we had to be able to pivot time and time again.

We our So the protocols we introduced many other public health measures.

We built our own what I would say public health infrastructure with health Corps got up to 50, 60 people who are immediately available to respond to positive cases.

And then when the vaccines came along and now where at the forefront of being able to deliver those not just our campus, but throughout Kentucky.

We did outrage to those underserved communities.

So we did so many things in response to that.

We can do it again.

But I would say this science has yielded a safer environment.

We would not be where we are today without vaccines and antivirals.

I'm proud to say that not only did we deliver, but we were part of testing what works.

And that's our responsibility.

>> We'll talk about diversity, equity and I have the honor to sit next to you for a few An event back in the spring.

I think it was with Heather McGhee.

He rode a prolific book called The Some of us what racism costs America.

she people see her on the political gas.

Speck shows she's on there frequently.

But delightful woman in the book is highly insightful.

And the conversation I had with you afterwards, you know, you are struck by the conversation and the message and the book and and front since you're from Alabama.

You know, the epicenter of the civil rights movement.

I would say I'm curious about how you can text to allies.

Current events, 2020.

And the university now has in its mission statement about diversity and inclusion, but UK and even you Doctor Cap Alito have received criticism for focusing perhaps on the incidental and not the consequential.

And consumed with a mural, but perhaps not concentrating on long-range goals that come move from a conversation about diversity, equity and inclusion, which is easy to talk about.

But racism is not.

Your response.

>> First of all, Heather McGhee opens her book.

amount of 4 throughout the book.

Senator Park, which happens to be where I grew up in Montgomery, Alabama.

She describes how the city council when they finally lost all their court battles.

And we're faced with integrating the city parks and the swimming pools.

Filled the dirt paved over it.

She points out and that says a city that populations 30% African-American, but still had a greater number of whites.

There were greater numbers of whites who lost access to the pool.

Then blocks we cut off our nose to spite our face and she points out how we've done that time and time again.

Just can't get over that hurdle.

I do have a context, though, when I graduated from high school.

High school, a 2700 kids graduating class of 700.

I had a handful of African Americans watched in Alabama government.

George Wallace resisted integration from 1955, all 41.

I graduated 67.

So the progress has been halting and slow and discouraging at times.

But I do believe that it it moves forward.

But I think of what I experienced as a college student, the University of Alabama and what are its students can experience today and see in terms of difficult conversations relationships that didn't exist, that 40, 50 years ago.

But do today.

Or we entirely side as no.

But see what the seeds we have planted just like those who came before us that we have a Commonwealth Institute for Black that scholarship.

The truce uncovered.

History of slavery in our area.

Tax records that weave together.

What was it like?

I raise the curiosity deep in the understand.

immediately in the in the throes of George for Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

We've only said we're going to invest 10 million dollars, 2 million dollars a year for 5 years to foster a research on health equity and disparities.

these are the kinds of things hope 10 years from now.

People say, we're we're enjoying the fruits of that.

Those efforts.

>> And of course, we know that progress is incremental.

It's hardly a swift and fast reaching many people may hope that UK would go further faster when it comes to that area.

>> I am proud when you when you see how our enrollment increased, where more diverse a campus than ever.

As on Rome because grown.

We accept more students.

For more very bad, very backgrounds than ever before.

And that that progress.

This is steady one.

Yeah.

>> Finally, I do want to talk about compensation.

It's been well publicized about raise.

That was approved last year and many question and the perhaps the 2 that serve on the board, the faculty trustees.

We're concerned about the message that it that there was a widening gap between administrative salaries and the staff.

And you've talked a lot about putting a premium on the student experience.

And I'm just curious about have you equalize that same or elevated that same investment and the faculty and staff that pour into those students to have those rich experiences.

And how are you trying to equalize that a little bit so that they feel like their work and themselves are valued chair?

>> when I arrived here, 12 years ago, faculty compensation in the form of not just wages but benefits was a priority.

I think we have raised provided us our pool for.

Not are 10 of these 11 years.

We were the first in this area to move to a $15 an hour, a starting wage.

And I think that move wages throughout our entire community.

In the last 5 or 6 years.

We've raised that starting wage for Tom's.

So we certainly paid attention.

I have worked hard to make sure that access to an education here.

Is easier.

Over the last 4 years.

The average increase of our tuition and fees has been less than inflation.

About 1.6 percent when our Rob, I think we spent about 50 million dollars financial aid.

That's up to 160 million dollars targeting most those students, students with financial need.

have worked hard and will work even harder to raise those resources that improve access and affordability.

>> And we'll have a conversation.

Maybe some other time when there's a general Assembly session where they're make craft in the budget about compensation in that regard help universities to serve the students without to perhaps tuition more support from the state.

Thank you, Doctor It's been a pleasure.

Appreciate your conversation today.

And we hope you have as well.

You can stay in touch with what's happening around the state on Kentucky EDITION.

That airs each week night at 6.30, Eastern 5.30, central right here on tape.

It can connect with me on Twitter on Facebook.

Listen to our programs on podcast at KET Dot Org.

Slash podcast.

Until I see you again.

Take really good care.

♪ ♪ >> They are saying, yes, it's great to see is your what I'm watching.

You haha, I hear that every now.

And haha.

>> And those with professional.

Well, thank you, sir.

I appreciate that.

Joe's and so well.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Well, you you handle yourself for the plume you know what's coming?

Yeah.

Yeah.

>> Haha.

Some people may not be as fast learners.

>> It was a pleasure.

Thank you so much.

And you do the same.

You do the same.

Thank you.

J appreciate you.

Send my regards to Carla a little bit.

Yes.