Contact: Jay Blanton

Other highlights include:

• UK is now ranked 36th among public institutions for Research and Development expenditures, up from 46th nationally in 1997.
• Total Research and Development expenditures in the science and engineering fields increased from $161 million in 1998 to $272 million in 2003 – a 69 percent increase.
• Nearly 3,400 bachelor’s degrees were awarded last year.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 12, 2005) -- How many freshmen were enrolled at the University of Kentucky last year?

How many UK alumni live in the state?

What is the university’s budget?

The answers to those questions and many, many more can be found in the 2004-2005 edition of the Fact Booklet, a 36-page compendium of statistics, interesting facts and information about UK, its programs, its mission and its values.

The Fact Booklet, a publication required by state law, “provides an important litany of the numbers, programs and successes that make up the University of Kentucky,” said UK President Lee T. Todd Jr. “Many items of interest to our stakeholders and the general public can be found in this booklet, including statistics on enrollments, retention, research expenditures, and faculty salaries.”

As a result, Todd said the Fact Booklet provides a clear by-the-numbers look at the importance of UK to the state and the breadth of programs and services the institution provides.

The booklet, put together by the university’s Office for Institutional Research, Planning, and Effectiveness, can be found online.

Now, the answers to those questions:

• In fall 2004, UK enrolled nearly 4,000 freshmen – a record number. It is also the most academically accomplished class to enroll at the university with the largest number of high school valedictorians. In addition, 35 percent of the freshman class had a high school GPA of 3.8 or higher.
• 146,601 alumni live in Kentucky.
• The 2004-2005 UK budget is nearly $1.5 billion. Of that, almost half of the budget – more than $700 million -- is being spent directly on instruction, research and public service. That does not include areas such as financial aid, libraries and academic support.

Other highlights include:

• UK is now ranked 36th among public institutions for Research and Development expenditures, up from 46th nationally in 1997.
• Total Research and Development expenditures in the science and engineering fields increased from $161 million in 1998 to $272 million in 2003 – a 69 percent increase.
• Nearly 3,400 bachelor’s degrees were awarded last year.

Students attend UK from all 120 counties. More than 5,000 students are enrolled from Fayette County. Six came from Robertson County.