Kentucky State University students and alumni filed a class action asking a federal court to stop a state-mandated overhaul that would convert the historically Black land-grant institution from a liberal arts model into a polytechnic institution. Plaintiffs argue the restructuring—approved through April state legislation—violates federal civil rights law and effectively pushes program and employee cuts without adequate remediation for longstanding underinvestment. The suit contends Kentucky has been notified of funding disparities multiple times, including a 2023 letter from the U.S. agriculture and education secretaries citing a $172.1 million underfunding gap over three decades compared with the state’s other land-grant institution. Plaintiffs say the state has responded with Senate Bill 185 instead of parity or a court-reviewable remediation process. Among the relief sought, plaintiffs ask the court to bar program and employee cuts and require state officials to submit a remediation plan. The lawsuit also raises questions about whether the expanded state controls under the law conflict with accreditation expectations.