Lexington, KY - While in his inaugural state of the university address UK's new president, Dr. Eli Capilouto heaped praise on the freshman class, the physical condition of Kentucky's flagship university topped his concerns.
"I'm proud that our newest Wildcats are our most academically accomplished wildcats," UK's 12th president said in the address on Monday. "We've been here for 115 years and this class is outstanding. It has an average GPA of over 3.6. Twenty-five percent of these first-year students have a GPA of 4.0 or above. Thirty percent of the freshmen class has an ACT score of 28 or above. And to put that into context, only eight percent of all Kentuckians scored 28 or above."
He added that these numbers are a "profound testament" to UK's ability to attract the best and the brightest to the "serious 21st century education" that the school provides.
Opportunity knocks for University of Kentucky graduates and more than ever on the global stage, he said.
Capilouto has spent more than 30 years working in education and was previously the provost of University of Alabama at Birmingham and was the dean of public health at the school. Despite the fact that UAB boasts a reputation as one of the leading research and medical institutions in the South, UK's new president said he is learning even more about the great things happening in Lexington.
But one of the biggest ways he hopes to keep improving Kentucky's influence in research and education is through infrastructure. Even though the professors and programs are top notch, he acknowledged the the university could use a facelift.
"One of the deepest commitments I have is to improve the infrastructure here," Capilouto said. "I say we have the best faculty you can find anywhere. We've got 21st century learning going on, but we're in 19th century facilities. So that's on the top of my priority list."
His predecessor, Dr. Lee T. Todd, Jr., stepped down in June after 10 years at the Wildcat helm and despite making major advances in areas like budget, faculty research grants, medical center revenue and payroll, tuition rose and some educational facilities were not updated.
Capilouto would not specify where he hoped to improve right away, but Todd had hoped to build new law and business schools.
As far as tuition goes, student body President Micah Fielden, a senior agricultural biotechnology major from Lexington, said he was hopeful Capilouto would be extremely mindful of tuition costs.
"I think that we've all noticed there's a price point, and there's eventually a point where college tuition will begin to rise to where it will no longer be a worthwhile investment -
where you'll end up spending more money than you're making," he said. "And I pray that we never come to that point here at the University of Kentucky, but I think we can get away from that by using some innovative solutions."
He said he and his classmates do not necessarily worry about the economy at large but instead are concerned about six percent tuition increases every year.
In his address, Fielden asked Capilouto to limit tuition increases and provide new and innovative buildings, even in challenging times. He characterized Capilouto as "unselfish" and has faith he can continually "raise the academic and cultural standard" at UK.
"As a student body, we stressed that we wanted a president who would represent our interests first," he said. "We wanted a president who was transparent with the process behind achieving his vision and a person who we could relate to."
He then challenged his fellow students to "become the best version of yourself" through education.
"You will come to realize that this is your state, your experience and your University of Kentucky," Fielden said.
Capilouto and the event's emcee, NBC sportscaster and UK alum Tom Hammond, cited Fielden as an example of greatness that UK students are already achieving.
The president said he hopes to continue to create an outstanding community of "global citizens." He cited UK's MBA student trip to Haiti to help locals in need learn how to cultivate and sell the coffee they harvest while helping them develop other basic business skills as a prime example of how students are reaching the world.
Also, he noted that faculty is doing its part to challenge assumptions and reform the school's general education curriculum.
"We've had wonderful successes, but our best days are ahead of us," Capilouto said. "We've got to do more. We've got to do more to recruit, educate and graduate the next generation of leaders. We must do more to prepare our students for an uncertain world. And to do so we have to challenge ourselves.
"Your dreams are our greatest hopes," he concluded. "You will create a better tomorrow, and it is the mission of the University of Kentucky to help you unleash your greatest potential."
Capilouto hopes to see UK graduates raise the bar by continually challenging and assisting their communities within the state and around the world.