KY HB490

Presidents and faculty members at Kentucky public universities and community colleges may be removed for cause, including incompetency, neglect of duty, immoral conduct, or failure to meet performance and productivity requirements evaluated at least every four years

Faculty members may now also be removed for "bona fide financial reasons" including financial exigency, low enrollment in a program or major, or misalignment of revenue and costs in a college, department, program, or major

Removal requires 30 days' written notice stating the charges or reasons, with opportunity for the faculty member to respond before the board with counsel and introduce testimony

Each board must establish and provide the evaluation process to all faculty members by January 1, 2026, with an effective date of July 1, 2026

Declared an emergency measure, taking effect immediately upon passage and gubernatorial approval to allow institutions to make swift fiscal decisions