Executive changes sought for UK; Research, diversity, economy are focuses
BYLINE: Art Jester, HERALD-LEADER STAFF WRITER
University of Kentucky President Lee T. Todd Jr. wants to reorganize UK's administration to boost its efforts in research and economic development.
Today, Todd will ask UK's Board of Trustees to approve a two-part plan for reorganization that would include creating an Office of Economic Development and placing all university research under the authority of the new provost, or chief academic officer, Kumble Subbaswamy.
UK's board is also expected to authorize a new position, vice president of institutional diversity. The search for a new vice president, who would be in charge of measures to increase diversity throughout the campus, would begin immediately.
Todd said UK's initiatives in research and economic development are part of its plan to become a Top 20 public research university and have three basic purposes:
Getting UK's research, its "intellectual property," patented and licensed so it can be used by start-up and existing companies.
Taking new knowledge that UK develops and helping industries use it to "add value" to their enterprises.
Attracting more high-paying jobs to Kentucky.
For example, Todd said he would like to draw upon the pharmacy school's high national ranking to recruit divisions and work groups from pharmaceutical companies to Lexington.
"If we can keep getting pieces of a company to come here, we increase our chances of getting a whole company to come here," he said.
Putting overall responsibility for research under the provost's authority is a change from the current arrangement, in which an executive vice president is in charge and reports to Todd.
Wendy Baldwin, the former executive vice president for research, left UK recently to take a post with the Population Council in New York City.
"We've had tremendous success in research under Dr. Baldwin's leadership, with five years of research expenditures in excess of $200 million, including $290 million last year," Todd said.
Subbaswamy said that by having oversight of research, he can help integrate research ventures across the campus and promote interdisciplinary research.
UK will hire a new vice president for research to handle the day-to-day operations, he said.
The proposed Office of Economic Development and Commercialization will work with federal, state and local economic development officials and will seek investors for start-up companies that would use UK's research.
UK ranked 23rd among the nation's public universities and 35th among all U.S. universities in transforming research into technology and commercial success, according to a recent study from the Milken Institute, an economic think tank.
Reach Art Jester at (859) 231-3489; 1-800-950-6397, Ext. 3489; or ajester@herald-leader.com.