01/07/26 - 2026 Kentucky General Assembly legislative session — your voice matters

To: Faculty, Staff and Students
From: Cady Short-Thompson, Ph.D.
President, Northern Kentucky University
Date: 01/07/26
Subject: 2026 Kentucky General Assembly legislative session — your voice matters

Dear NKU campus community,

Tuesday marked the start of the 2026 Kentucky General Assembly’s legislative session. This year’s session spans 60 days and includes the development of the biennial state budget that will guide funding decisions for the next two years.

As the session continues, we will closely monitor budget discussions as well as other legislation that may impact NKU and our broader community. As in past years, I will share periodic updates to keep you informed as developments occur.

Our primary legislative priorities this session include:

• General funding alignment that would add $5 million to NKU’s base funding per year
• Asset preservation funding to address critical infrastructure and facility needs
• Business Academic Center Expansion and Renovation: $150 million to address infrastructure needs, expand the building footprint and renovate the facility into a modern, state-of-the-art business building that supports the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship and a core life sciences research facility.

Because general funding alignment is so critical to NKU’s continued growth and success, we are asking for your help. Our collective voice is one of the most effective ways to communicate the real impact NKU has on our students, families, faculty, staff, and the region we serve.

I encourage you to take a moment to visit the Invest in KY Success website and send a message to your elected officials in support of NKU. If you live in Ohio or Indiana but work in Kentucky like so many of our faculty and staff, please still contact representatives using your business address. We need everyone’s voice.

With the highest return on investment of any public university in the Commonwealth, NKU plays a critical role in preparing the region’s workforce, expanding access to higher education and delivering strong outcomes for students and taxpayers alike. Ensuring our funding is aligned with our impact is essential to sustaining this work.

Thank you for all you do each day to support our students and our mission. I look forward to keeping you informed as the legislative session progresses.

Best Regards,

Cady