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Dear Racer Alumni,

The 2025 Legislative Session concluded on March 28 with the Kentucky General Assembly passing . The Governor has now signed this bill into law! 

As a reminder, Senate Bill 77 amends KRS 164.295 to allow Â鶹´«Ã½ State University to begin the process of working with the Council on Postsecondary Education and accrediting bodies to pursue a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (DVM). This legislation also allows all comprehensive universities to pursue doctorates, as long as certain metrics and benchmarks are met. 

President Jackson has now created an internal task force to begin work on next steps regarding the pursuit and eventual accreditation of a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine, led by Dr. Brian Parr, Dean of the Hutson School of Agriculture and Jordan Smith, Assistant Vice President of Public Affairs. 

We are very grateful for the Kentucky General Assembly and the Governor's support of Â鶹´«Ã½ State University! 

Thank you to the many supporters, friends, students, faculty, staff and alumni for your work in helping us get across this major threshold for the benefit of our university, region and state.

Thank you again and Go Racers!

 

For more information about this initiative, please view our 2025 Legislative Priorities Document and watch our new  video.

Endorsements

• Congressman James Comer
• Senator Rand Paul
• Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) Commissioner Jonathan Shell
• Kentucky Poultry Federation
• Senator Rand Paul
• Louisville Zoo
• Starlight Racing 

Additional Endorsements

• Ballard County Fiscal Court
• City of Benton
• Calloway County Fiscal Court
• Carlisle County Fiscal Court
• Christian County Chamber of Commerce
• Christian County Fiscal Court
• Cumberland County Fiscal Court
• Crittenden County Fiscal Court
• Graves County Fiscal Court
• Green River Area Development District
• City of Elkton
• City of Greenville
• Cumberland County Fiscal Court
• Farm Credit-Mid America (Regional Office – Christian County)
• H&R Agri-Power - Mr. Wayne Hunt
• Henderson Chamber of Commerce
• Henderson County Farm Bureau Board District 2
• Henderson County Fiscal Court
• Hickman County Fiscal Court
• Kentucky Farm Bureau District 1 Boards (Ballard, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Livingston, Lyon, Marshall, McCracken, Todd and Trigg County Farm Bureau Boards)
• Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation
• Kentucky Pork Producers
• LaRue County Fiscal Court
• Livingston County Fiscal Court
• Louisville Metro Council (Councilwoman Jennifer Chappell)
• Lyon County Fiscal Court
• Marshall County Fiscal Court
• City of Mayfield
• McCracken County Fiscal Court
• McLean County Fiscal Court
• City of Â鶹´«Ã½
• Â鶹´«Ã½-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce
• Â鶹´«Ã½-Calloway County Economic Development Corporation
• Â鶹´«Ã½ State University Alumni Board of Governors
• Â鶹´«Ã½ State University Board of Regents
• City of Paducah
• Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce
• Pennyrile Area Development District
• Purchase Area Development District
• Todd County Fiscal Court
• Transylvania University
• Trigg County Fiscal Court
• Webster County Fiscal Court
• Westside Veterinary Services
• West Kentucky Alliance for a Vibrant Economy
• (WAVE) River Counties Agriculture Initiative
• West Kentucky Regional Chamber Alliance (alliance of chambers of commerce in the following counties - Fulton, Hickman, Graves, Carlisle, Ballard, Graves, McCracken, Calloway, Marshall, Livingston, Crittenden, Lyon, Trigg, Caldwell, Christian and Todd County)
• Among others …

Resolution passed by Â鶹´«Ã½AA Board of Governors

On October 18, the 19-member Â鶹´«Ã½ State University Alumni Association (Â鶹´«Ã½AA) Board of Governors voted unanimously during the Fall 2024 biannual board meeting to draft a Resolution of Support asking the Kentucky General Assembly to allow Â鶹´«Ã½ State University to offer a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (DVM). The passage of this legislation would thus allow the University to create what would become Kentucky's only School of Veterinary Medicine. At that time, a committee was formed to craft the content of the resolution. 

Committee members included Â鶹´«Ã½AA President Scott Grant ('07, '08), Board of Governors members Brian Edwards ('06) and Josh Tubbs ('04, '06), and Â鶹´«Ã½ State University Director of Alumni Relations Carrie McGinnis ('20). Once the draft was approved by committee, language for the resolution also passed the full Board of Governors unanimously via electronic vote. 

The Â鶹´«Ã½AA Resolution of Support was sent by President Scott Grant to all members of the Kentucky General Assembly on Wednesday, Dec. 18.