Kentucky’s Senate advanced a bill that would give public college boards more flexibility to terminate faculty for broadly defined financial reasons, including low enrollment in specific majors or programs. The measure, HB 490, passed the Kentucky Senate 30-7 over objections from the AAUP and AFT. Critics argued the bill’s lack of clear definitions for “low enrollment” and “revenue and cost misalignment” could be used to target departments or silence faculty speech unrelated to genuine fiscal emergencies. The bill would require boards to provide 30 days’ written notice of termination reasons and allow faculty to respond, while directing governing boards to create consistent policies for financial-related faculty removals by Oct. 1. After Senate approval, the bill heads back to the Kentucky House for expected votes on amendments, setting up a fast timeline that could affect faculty job security at public institutions across the state.