FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear escalated his criticism of University of Kentucky leadership Thursday, expressing concern not only about recent high-profile hiring decisions but also about structural changes that have shifted power away from faculty and the creation of private entities that may strip employee protections.

Speaking at his weekly press conference, the Democratic governor doubled down on previous complaints about the university's appointment of U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove as dean of the College of Law and an ill-fated $950,000 position for retiring Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart. But Beshear's comments revealed broader anxieties about how power is being concentrated within the university administration.

"I saw what happens when too much power is consolidated in just one individual running the university — that sometimes they start thinking that they are the university, and that their decisions shouldn't be questioned or criticized," Beshear said, referencing the fall of former University of Louisville President Jim Ramsey, who departed after financial scandals.

One major focus was the 2024 changes to UK's shared governance rules, which eliminated the University Senate and transferred significant academic authority to the provost and president. The restructuring reduced faculty input on curriculum decisions from policy-making power to an advisory role.

"I'm concerned about what appears to be a major diminishment in the authority of faculty," Beshear said.

Beshear also questioned the university's creation of new limited liability companies — private entities that the university says will improve operational efficiency. He warned that union employees transferred to these LLCs could lose public employee and union protections.

"Many of them are union employees, and there's a real concern that they will lose a lot of their rights as public employees or as union employees, and I think especially a higher education institution ought to be looking out for the people that work for them," Beshear said.

The governor expressed particular frustration that the university showed no remorse about the Barnhart position, even after controversy forced him to decline the role. "I'm still worried that, while they didn't move forward with the $1 million job made out of thin air, that nobody's saying that maybe that was a bad decision," he said.

Regarding Van Tatenhove's appointment, Beshear reiterated that a "supermajority" of law faculty opposed the hire. According to the Louisville Courier Journal, faculty members told university officials the judge lacked qualifications to be granted tenure, creating potential accreditation risks under American Bar Association standards.

The governor noted that Van Tatenhove's resume didn't match the original job description and questioned why the university invoked "extraordinary circumstances" to justify the appointment. He also expressed concern about Van Tatenhove's ties to major GOP donors Joe and Kelly Craft, citing the judge's receipt of travel reimbursements from Craft's federal disclosure forms.

"It just gives me great concern there," Beshear said.

Board of Trustees member Jim Gray, who recently became a special advisor to Beshear on transportation, called for a collaborative review of the university's governing regulations during Friday's board meeting. Gray noted that the 2024 governance changes removed the board's ability to approve key administrative appointments like the dean position.

Gray called the changes "a slippery slope," suggesting once shared governance protections are removed, they are difficult to recover. Board Chair Britt Brockman seconded Gray's motion, saying the board should be willing to "ask tough questions" and improve its own processes.

University President Eli Capilouto defended Van Tatenhove's appointment and the governance changes, arguing that ABA standards "were never designed to give veto power to a group of faculty." The university maintains that the revised governance structure streamlines decision-making and elevates student and staff voices.

As governor, Beshear has appointment authority over trustees on public university boards. "I'm going to take a real close look at the Board of Trustees to make sure we're getting real, strong oversight," he said.