Paducah attorney Glenn Denton is the next Council on Postsecondary Education Chair, and the first western Kentuckian to lead the group.
CPE’s board elected Denton to the position today at its meeting in Frankfort as well as naming Joe Graviss of Versailles vice chair.
Denton says western Kentucky is already well represented with Benton optometrist Joe Ellis and Paducah public schools retiree Dennis Jackson serving on the council.
“As statewide policy discussions are occurring there are a lot more references in regard to what is going on in Murray in Calloway County and Paducah in McCracken County,” Denton said. “Those references help to kind of bolster Murray State’s already strong presence at the CPE level.”
One of the biggest obstacles Denton sees in coming years is the budget. Since 2009, Kentucky's public universities have been grappling with reoccurrent state budget cuts to the tune of more than $150 million.
“The overriding issue at the moment is to convince the next governor and the legislature that higher education is an incredibly worthwhile investment,” Denton said. “It is time for all of us to start reinvesting and raising the investment in higher education throughout the Commonwealth.”
While serving as chair, Denton wants to continue fostering the relationship between higher education and K-12.
Former Lexington-Fayette County mayor Pam Miller was the previous CPE chair.
