As goes the story of economic development planning, so goes much of the same thinking applied to higher educational regionalism. Currently, there are too many regional schools for higher education in Kentucky and its high levels of poverty. Add another regional university like U. of Pikeville and the money pot for higher education gets smaller.

In 2014, higher education took three direct hits in Western Kentucky. (A) Mid-Continent University imploded. Almost overnight the school failed. Loss of money from student debt and gross mismanagement of school resources closed down the school. (B) Next was the tragic story of the Daymar College system that had to close its doors to possible fraud charges from the Kentucky Attorney General. (C) High student school debts and low prospect of jobs created a perfect storm of the flooring falling for adult higher education in the Purchase area.

Going into 2015, higher education in West Kentucky will have to deal with much less state funding at the same time long term professors salaries become an issue, quality of teaching is questioned, physical plants are also questioned and a threat of online education becomes a real budget matter.