Charles Compton (KPR)

The price for a president is going up at Eastern Kentucky University.  EKU’s new President will earn two-thirds more than its outgoing CEO.

The new president at Eastern Kentucky University will earn 400-thousand dollars a year…a big increase over what Dr. Michael Benson earned at Southern Utah University.  His job there as president  grossed over 281-thousand dollars a year. 

It’s also more than the $250-thousand paid to EKU’s current president, but a hundred thousand dollars less than the annual salary earned by the president at the University of Kentucky.  

After a two-hour, closed-door meeting, regents at Eastern Kentucky University today named a new president.  Dr. Michael Benson will leave the top job at Southern Utah University and take over at EKU.  Board of Regents Chairman Craig Turner is “delighted” with Benson’s selection.

“I think his even-keeled demeanor, as we put it, will be accepted very easily here on campus, and we think he’s got the leadership qualities that we’re looking for,” said Turner.

While Eastern Kentucky University is working to cut spending by $23 million, its Board of Regents will promote early retirements to before instituting layoffs. Chairman Craig Turner says a plan the regents approved Tuesday morning offers incentives to professors willing to work part-time and staff members who qualify for early retirement.

“The objective here again is to treat everybody as fairly as possible, providing incentives for them to potentially retire, and based upon those numbers, then that will determine how deep cuts go on the reduction plan itself,” Turner said.

A measure to regulate hemp farming in Kentucky might not be dead yet. House Speaker Greg Stumbo said repair work’s underway on the bill, which has stalled in the House. Still, the Lexington Herald Leader reports Stumbo did not commit to a House vote on the measure.

During a meeting this morning of faculty and staff at Eastern Kentucky University, President Doug Whitlock announced his retirement.  Whitlock, who's spent his higher education career at EKU, says his administration will end at the conclusion of this academic year. 

The Roman Catholic missionary who founded the Christian Appalachian Project passed away early this past Thursday.  Since World War Two, Monsignor Ralph Beiting served the people of eastern Kentucky through a series of social service programs.  Kentucky Public Radio’s Charles Compton knew Monsignor Beiting, and brings us this appreciation.

A new pest threatens Kentucky’s hardwood trees.  This one is called the Asian Longhorned Beetle and has destroyed tens of thousands of trees in the northeastern United States, Ohio and Illinois.

In college towns, locals are often in conflict with school officials and students.  An organization dedicated to eliminating such conflict holds its annual conference this week in Richmond.  

With relatively few competitive races on yesterday’s ballot, the vast majority of Kentuckians opted out of the political process.  A record number are registered to vote, but, Secretary of State Allison Lundergan Grimes set turnout Tuesday at an estimated 11%.

Records in both overall and single day attendance were broken this spring at Keeneland Race Course.   Over 40,000 people visited the Lexington facility on April 14th for the Bluegrass Stakes.  In total, spokeswoman Amy Gregory says over 269,000 people were in the stands during the 15-day meet.

“We’ve actually been very blessed with some terrific weather this spring.  And, we’ve had just some fantastic racing, the support of our horsemen has been wonderful.”