Gov. Beshear continues criticism of University of Kentucky, saying it should be a 'nonpartisan university'

Monica Kast, Lexington Herald-Leader on Apr 22, 2026

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Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on Wednesday doubled down on criticism of the University of Kentucky, saying the school should be “a nonpartisan university that doesn’t waste taxpayer dollars.”

One day after saying he was “losing confidence and growing increasingly concerned with the management and decision-making” at the state’s largest university, Beshear said he had received “countless calls and messages agreeing that the University of Kentucky needs to reconsider its recent actions.”

Beshear’s criticisms are aimed at a pair of recent administrative decisions at the university — the appointment of federal judge Gregory Van Tatenhove as the new dean of UK’s law school, and the appointment of athletic director Mitch Barnhart to a new, nearly $1 million a year position that the university has not yet defined. Barnhart will begin that job, executive in residence of a new UK Sport and Workforce Initiative, when he retires later this year.

Barnhart will be paid $950,000 per year through August 2030 for his new job, but few specifics about the role have been released. The university initially said Barnhart’s salary would come from the school’s general fund before backtracking and correcting that it would come from the athletics budget.

On Wednesday, Beshear said he hoped there would be oversight at the university’s board of trustees meetings Thursday and Friday.

Beshear’s initial statement included reference to “certain donors pushing partisan and undue outside influence” at UK, potentially a reference to Van Tatenhove’s longtime relationship with Kelly and Joe Craft, some of the biggest Republican donors in the country and the largest donors to UK Athletics.

“The fact that a political party defended the law school dean’s appointment is telling,” Beshear said. “We also deserve real oversight that will tell UK’s administration no when it is making a mistake.”

In a since-deleted social media post Tuesday responding to Beshear’s initial criticism of Van Tatenhove, Republican party officials suggested the governor had sought someone else’s appointment as dean of the law school.

“It’s ironic to see @GovAndyBeshear finally admitting there’s a problem at the University of Kentucky,” the Kentucky GOP wrote in a post to X. “Republicans have tried for years to rein in poor decision making, a scandal-laden administration, and the waste of taxpayer dollars on frivolous contracts and DEI initiatives, with no help from @AndyBeshearKY.”

“It seems very evident that the governor is not happy with the fact that the university chose somebody that wasn’t his personal, hand-picked candidate,” Kentucky GOP spokesperson Adam Hope said Wednesday.

In response to Beshear’s statement Tuesday, UK spokesperson Jay Blanton disagreed with Beshear’s statement on Van Tatenhove, but did not address the governor’s criticism of Barnhart’s new role.

“In Judge Van Tatenhove we have someone who will be an outstanding Dean for the Rosenberg College of Law,” Blanton said. “With more than two decades of experience and an exemplary record on the federal courts, as well as years as a U.S. Attorney and in public service, he is the right leader, with the right skills and the right background and expertise at a critical moment for the College.”

House Speaker David Osborne, R-Prospect, issued a statement Wednesday backing the University of Kentucky leadership. Osborne said UK President Eli Capilouto’s leadership “has been steady, thoughtful, and solutions-oriented.”

“Whatever is driving this disagreement, seeing it play out on social media represents a troubling departure from the restraint that should guide interactions between the executive branch and independent institutions. My experience working with Dr. Eli Capilouto and members of the Board of Trustees has been consistently positive,” Osborne said.

Osborne also praised Van Tatenhove as “a man who is widely respected among judicial and legal communities after decades of principled leadership, sound judgment, and an unwavering respect for the rule of law.” Van Tatenhove’s wife, Christy Trout Van Tatenhove, works for the Kentucky House GOP caucus.

“This is not about politics. It is about principle. Strong institutions require clear boundaries, mutual respect, and the space to function without interference,” Osborne said. “The University of Kentucky has been well-served by its leadership, and it deserves continued support — not disruption.”

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