Inflation continues to be a problem across Kentucky. It is hitting more than just individuals, colleges and universities are also feeling the sting. Eastern Kentucky University is planning construction projects at Alumni Coliseum and the Model Laboratory School.
EKU President David McFaddin said inflation has made the process tricky.
“Those projects were scored out right as the pandemic was beginning, we bid those out just after the pandemic, we started to see things start to ease up and now we’re starting to see costs starting to level off, so I’m very hopeful that those final construction estimates will come in over the next several months.”
McFaddin said the cost of building materials has not gone down but the price has stopped rising. He hopes to work through the process using some gap funding from the state legislature.
The university president said his school has several ways of reaching out.
“These costs, escalations have impacted students just like it has impacted families, we’ve tried to wrap our arms around our students and help them everywhere we can, from the Colonel Cupboard to our EKU SAFE Fund, which is designated to help students who are having a hardship.”
Colonel’s Cupboard is a service through EKU Student Life which helps students who may be experiencing food insecurity. It provides food, toiletries, and clothing for enrolled students.
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