The Eastern Kentucky University Board of Regents decision Friday to suspend a number of academic programs brought with it silent protests. One of those involved EKU’s nursing program.
When the EKU Board of Regents began discussing the future of the school’s associate degree nursing program, a long line of maroon scrub clad nursing students stood up. They remained that way until the board voted to suspend the program. Outside the meeting area, nurse Lydia Diamond said Eastern’s been a pipeline for those wanting to earn a bachelor of science in nursing. “Saying hey where would you want to go back school after you complete your ADN? EKU is great, and if you’re already completed your ADN here, why not come back to something you know,” said Diamond.
Diamond got here associate degree in nursing from Bluegrass Community and Technical College in Lexington in 2015. Eastern Provost Deborah Whitehouse says there are 38 Kentucky Board of Nursing approved associate degree programs in the state. She says EKU can accept those students into it’s BSN program. Student currently enrolled in the associate program will be allowed to finish out their studies.
