By 2020, Northern Kentucky University is on track to support 50,000 new occupations that planned to open in the Northern Kentucky area.

Assisting in that goal is just one aspect of the message “It’s all about talent!” given to Kentucky’s Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) Oct. 3. in Frankfort, Ky.

A press release stated that Kentucky asked NKU to double the enrollment and the region asked the university to support 50,000 new jobs set to create in the area.

According to President James Votruba’s presentation, the CPE has determined that NKU’s expected contribution to filing the degree gap is 349 by 2020, which is nearly double the university’s current production level.

The NKU Covenant with the Commonwealth states that NKU is set to contribute to this goal by expanding its degree production and community grownth by: adding 69 new tenure-track faculty and 95 staff for support of increased enrollments and full-time faculty, $3.4 million over two years through internal cost reduction or reallocation and annual tuition rate increased and undergraduate student aid that keeps with tuition increases.

The covenant also states that Kentucky is set to contribute to the goals for NKU by increasing general funds to support the business plan and allow for modest tuition increases, an annual debt service for Old Science Center Renovation, Health Innovations Center, College of Business Building and technology improvement and $3 million for 146,000 square foot of temporary lease space during construction phase of the new facilities.

Votruba explained the relationship between the two aspects as “if you want us to do this, you have to fund us this way.”

On Oct. 2, Votruba told the CPE Budget and Finance Policy Group that the university is developing a business plan that will be presented at the Board of Regents meeting in November (FOR WHAT? APPROVAL?). According to a press release, the plan is set to nurture, develop, attract, import and apply talent that will help retain and sustain students. He also said the university will do whatever it can to increase enrollment at NKU, and plans to attract more traditional, non traditional and international students.

He also said the university will do whatever it can to increase enrollment at NKU, and plans to attract more traditional, non traditional and international students.

Some of those ways the university plans to implement it is to include focusing on kindergarten-12th grade students in areas such as improving teaching effectiveness, improving programs and kindergarten- 12th grade students about talent. Votruba added that the university has made a major commitment to work with p-12 education

Another aspect of Votruba’s Oct. 3 presentation was NKU’s space deficit. He said NKU is approximately 280,000 square feet under built and part of the business plan is to address the need to construct more buildings on campus, which would allow the university to accept more students and hire more faculty and staff.

Overall, Votruba said the university’s message was well received and that it’s important for Kentucky’s future to meet the growing needs of Northern Kentucky and the new jobs set to open in the area.

Votruba said the “It’s all about Talent!” goal is part of the Vision 2015, which is a 10 year plan, built upon the Quest Vision launched in 1995, that is set to help define and transform the future of Northern Kentucky.

The primary advisors for the “It’s all about talent!” are the Northern Kentucky Vision 2015 Council, Tr-County Economic Development Corporation, Northern Kentucky P-12 Educational System, Children, Inc., leading early childhood program and Council on Postsecondary Education Staff.