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LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Like a freshman handed a hefty assignment on the first day, Eli Capilouto is taking a crash course in learning about the state and the University of Kentucky, the sprawling campus he’s now leading.

And just like a student in class, UK’s new president seems to be doing more listening than talking as the soft-spoken Alabama native settles into a high-profile role he calls his “last and best job.”

Since taking charge of the state’s flagship school on July 1, and leading up to his new job, Capilouto has met with legislators, business and civic leaders, alumni and other education leaders. On the Lexington campus, he’s met with administrators, faculty and staff.

The lineup of people wanting a one-on-one seems endless. He’s even chatted it up with visitors to campus during leisurely walks with his dogs and with UK-cap-wearing convenience store clerks.

“When you meet people and realize the affection and the hopes they have for how this university can make a difference in this state, that moves me the most,” Capilouto said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

Capilouto hasn’t had time yet to decorate his campus office, but he and his wife, Mary Lynne, have settled into Maxwell Place, a university-owned home, along with their two dogs. The walls of the home are getting fresh coats of paint, and his wife has talked about displaying student art in the home, Capilouto said.

The 61-year-old career educator was short on specifics about what he hopes to accomplish as UK’s 12th president.

He leads a school with about 28,000 students and a nearly $2.7 billion budget. Its operations include a medical complex, a growing research reputation, broad-based academics with more than 200 majors and degree programs and an athletics program with avid fans.

For now, the former professor and longtime administrator at the University of Alabama at Birmingham wants to soak in as much information as possible from his conversations before going into action mode.

“One of the most critical things a leader can do is listen,” he said.

Capilouto spent about two hours meeting recently with a small group of prominent UK alumni in northern Kentucky. Topics included how to boost fundraising for scholarships to ensure access to UK in times of rising tuition.

Scott Davis, who graduated from UK in 1973, came away from the meeting impressed with Capilouto.

“Never fidgety, had some really good questions and was very engaged in the conversation,” said Davis, a senior financial consultant and a past president of UK’s national alumni association.

Though he’s in listening mode, Capilouto said he has reached one conclusion: “We have some tired facilities.”

UK needs new residence halls, he said, plus more research space and new, wired classrooms to accommodate a newly revamped undergraduate curriculum that, for instance, could tap digital communications in math or science classes.

“The reality in a competitive market is if you want to attract and keep the best and brightest researchers and students, you need better facilities,” he said.

Asked how realistic it is to push for new construction amid lean budgets, he replied: “We’ve got to find a way.”

He mentioned faculty salaries as another concern. UK faculty and staff went three years without pay raises, though this year’s budget includes merit-based salary increases amounting to 3 percent on average.

“That talent pool we have has to be nurtured,” Capilouto said. “And there are some realities that come with competitive salaries that we’re going to have to pay close attention to.”

Capilouto said it was too early to discuss UK’s possible wish list in next year’s General Assembly session, when lawmakers will craft a new two-year state budget.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo said Capilouto has indicated an eagerness to work with lawmakers to promote UK’s pursuit of a Top 20 national ranking among public research universities by 2020, a goal set by the legislature.

“We all know how important UK is to the commonwealth as an economic engine and as a land-grant school that has statewide responsibilities, and he has a vision that recognizes both,” said Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg.

Tuition and fees for in-state undergraduates at UK climbed from $3,735 in 2001-02 to $8,610 in the past academic year. The tuition hikes came as UK and the rest of higher education in Kentucky endured a series of state budget cuts.

Asked how he’ll try to hold down tuition increases, Capilouto said he’ll do his best to see UK is “”appropriately supported” by the state. He’ll also seek other revenue sources, but said as he learns more about UK another focus will be “paying close attention to costs.”

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LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — Like a freshman handed a hefty assignment on the first day, Eli Capilouto is taking a crash course in learning about the state and the University of Kentucky, the sprawling campus he’s now leading.

And just like a student in class, UK’s new president seems to be doing more listening than talking as the soft-spoken Alabama native settles into a high-profile role he calls his “last and best job.”

Since taking charge of the state’s flagship school on July 1, and leading up to his new job, Capilouto has met with legislators, business and civic leaders, alumni and other education leaders. On the Lexington campus, he’s met with administrators, faculty and staff.

The lineup of people wanting a one-on-one seems endless. He’s even chatted it up with visitors to campus during leisurely walks with his dogs and with UK-cap-wearing convenience store clerks.

“When you meet people and realize the affection and the hopes they have for how this university can make a difference in this state, that moves me the most,” Capilouto said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

Capilouto hasn’t had time yet to decorate his campus office, but he and his wife, Mary Lynne, have settled into Maxwell Place, a university-owned home, along with their two dogs. The walls of the home are getting fresh coats of paint, and his wife has talked about displaying student art in the home, Capilouto said.

The 61-year-old career educator was short on specifics about what he hopes to accomplish as UK’s 12th president.

He leads a school with about 28,000 students and a nearly $2.7 billion budget. Its operations include a medical complex, a growing research reputation, broad-based academics with more than 200 majors and degree programs and an athletics program with avid fans.

For now, the former professor and longtime administrator at the University of Alabama at Birmingham wants to soak in as much information as possible from his conversations before going into action mode.

“One of the most critical things a leader can do is listen,” he said.

Capilouto spent about two hours meeting recently with a small group of prominent UK alumni in northern Kentucky. Topics included how to boost fundraising for scholarships to ensure access to UK in times of rising tuition.

Scott Davis, who graduated from UK in 1973, came away from the meeting impressed with Capilouto.

“Never fidgety, had some really good questions and was very engaged in the conversation,” said Davis, a senior financial consultant and a past president of UK’s national alumni association.

Though he’s in listening mode, Capilouto said he has reached one conclusion: “We have some tired facilities.”

UK needs new residence halls, he said, plus more research space and new, wired classrooms to accommodate a newly revamped undergraduate curriculum that, for instance, could tap digital communications in math or science classes.

“The reality in a competitive market is if you want to attract and keep the best and brightest researchers and students, you need better facilities,” he said.

Asked how realistic it is to push for new construction amid lean budgets, he replied: “We’ve got to find a way.”

He mentioned faculty salaries as another concern. UK faculty and staff went three years without pay raises, though this year’s budget includes merit-based salary increases amounting to 3 percent on average.

“That talent pool we have has to be nurtured,” Capilouto said. “And there are some realities that come with competitive salaries that we’re going to have to pay close attention to.”

Capilouto said it was too early to discuss UK’s possible wish list in next year’s General Assembly session, when lawmakers will craft a new two-year state budget.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo said Capilouto has indicated an eagerness to work with lawmakers to promote UK’s pursuit of a Top 20 national ranking among public research universities by 2020, a goal set by the legislature.

“We all know how important UK is to the commonwealth as an economic engine and as a land-grant school that has statewide responsibilities, and he has a vision that recognizes both,” said Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg.

Tuition and fees for in-state undergraduates at UK climbed from $3,735 in 2001-02 to $8,610 in the past academic year. The tuition hikes came as UK and the rest of higher education in Kentucky endured a series of state budget cuts.

Asked how he’ll try to hold down tuition increases, Capilouto said he’ll do his best to see UK is “”appropriately supported” by the state. He’ll also seek other revenue sources, but said as he learns more about UK another focus will be “paying close attention to costs.”

This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers. Five Filters featured article: Ten Years Of Media Lens – Our Problem With Mainstream Dissidents.

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