Published: October 06, 2009 09:27 am      

Pharmacy school makes more sense at EKU-Corbin

Regarding University of the Cumberland’s bid for a pharmacy school...

If the state is experiencing a shortage of pharmacists, it is strange that Kentucky Republicans do not simply alleviate the situation by using the oft touted “wisdom of the market place.” If you need more pharmacists, all you need to do is offer higher pay than is available elsewhere and they will flock to SE Kentucky. It has been reported that most of the likely pharmacy graduates would not remain in SE Kentucky anyway. Would they choose to start their careers in areas that pay more?

Rather than try to break the state law and grant money illegally to a religious school, why not build a pharmacy school at the Corbin campus of Eastern Kentucky University, which is a state school and only 15  miles up the road. Would not this be a better use of tax funds than trying to twist the law which clearly states that giving the money to the University of the Cumberlands is illegal?

A building at EKU-Corbin would cost much less since it would not have to be a replica of Independence Hall, the Virginia House of Burgesses, the Sistine Chapel, or other historic structures which U of C seems to need. Instead of replicas of the New York Grand Central Station starry ceiling, the money could be used for laboratories and teaching needs. More pharmacy school for the public’s dollar!

 Richard Mandell,

Corbin