Study Advises UPIKE Remain a Private University

A new study says bringing the University of the Pikeville won’t do enough to help higher education in far eastern Kentucky.The report was released today by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. It says that UPIKE shouldn’t be brought into the state system, because doing so won’t help raise educational levels as much as continued collaboration would.The report suggests a scholarship program be put in place instead, which is the exact compromise lawmakers have made to the original UPIKE bill.But the report does admit that educational levels in far eastern Kentucky need to improve and that the area is underserved, two points supporters of moving UPIKE into the state system make.