UK professor arrested for sexual abuse of a minor was ‘model teacher,’ personnel file says

The University of Kentucky professor who was arrested last month for sexual abuse of a minor and incest was convicted of robbing a bank in the 1980s and was sentenced to five years in jail, according to court documents.

When asked if the university was aware that Kevin Real, the chair of the UK Department of Communication, had been convicted of bank robbery before his employment at UK, the university declined to comment. Real remains on paid leave from the university, UK spokesperson Jay Blanton told the Herald-Leader.

Real appeared to be well-liked among colleagues and students, according to his UK personnel records the Herald-Leader obtained through an open records act request. In a letter of recommendation for Real to receive the Outstanding Teacher Award in 2015, one colleague called him “a model teacher.”

Real was arrested on Sept. 8 by the Lexington Police Department on charges of incest, first degree sexual abuse of a person under the age of 12 and first degree sodomy. According to his arrest citation, Real allegedly abused the victim when they were 6 years old, and again in July 2022.

His bond hearing took place Thursday morning, where Real was permitted to leave house arrest as long as he stays in Fayette County and avoids certain locations. He will continued to be electronically monitored and must stay 1,000 feet away from a local high school and the residence of his victim. In court documents, Real denied the allegations against him.

Real waived his right to a preliminary hearing and his case will now go to a grand jury. The Fayette County Grand Jury will determine whether or not there is enough evidence to indict Real and send his case to circuit court, where a trial could be held.

‘An accomplished scholar and educator’

Real has been an employee at UK since 2002 and held several roles, according to his personnel file. He was hired as an assistant professor, and has also been an associate professor and professor in the department of communication. He is 65, according to jail records.

Before coming to UK, Real was a teaching and research assistant at Texas A&M University from 1996 to 2002, according to his resume.

The university’s hiring policy states that it requires external applicants to go through a criminal background check. Prior criminal convictions do not automatically exclude someone from being offered a job at UK. However, convictions will be reviewed by human resources and the legal office before an offer is made.

“Any decision to accept or reject an individual with a conviction is solely at the discretion of the University of Kentucky,” the policy states.

Real was highly recommended for the department chair role in 2020.

“Dr. Real is an accomplished scholar and educator who far exceeds the qualifications established by the department, college and university to head an academic department,” Jennifer Greer, dean of the College of Communication and Information, wrote in a letter recommending Real for the position. “We are fortunate to have him willing to take on this important role.”

He was also heavily involved at UK, having served on the faculty senate and overseeing graduate students, according to his resume. He taught abroad several times, including trips to China and Peru. His annual salary at UK was $173,422, according to his personnel file.

He did extensive research in health care communications, twice taking a sabbatical to conduct research. His work with graduate students was also highlighted by multiple colleagues, and Derek Lane, interim dean of the college in 2019, said Real’s classes were “highly sought-after,” with Real serving as a mentor for graduate students.

“Teaching isn’t his job. It’s part of who he is,” Shari Veil, the previous department chair, wrote in a 2015 letter recommending real for the Outstanding Teacher Award. “Students can see how passionate he is about teaching and how much he careers about them. I am proud to call him my colleague and look up to him as a model teacher in our program.”

He received 10 nominations from faculty members and former students for the award.

Department chair since 2020

When he applied to be promoted from associate professor to professor, he received widespread support from internal and external reviewers. Real became a professor in 2019, but had received tenure in 2010 when he was promoted to associate professor, according to his personnel file.

“Dr. Real is well known across campus as collegial, competent and talented,” Donald Helme, an associate professor, wrote in 2018, praising Real for his work across disciplines and on various committees.

Other professors recommended him for the promotion as well.

“In conclusion, when we first hired Kevin as a young assistant professor back in 2002, I confidently asserted, along with many of my colleagues at the time, that hiring Kevin would be a smart decision and a wise investment for the department,” Alan DeSantis, another professor, wrote in a 2018 letter. “I believed he would be a consistently strong and steady presence in our department. I am pleased to report, 16 years later, that Kevin has not only matched my expectations, he (has) soundly exceeded them.”

DeSantis went on to praise Real for being “a good human being.”

“Along with being a dedicated and loving father, he also has been a great colleague and professional confidant of mine over the years,” DeSantis said.

Staff reporter Taylor Six contributed to this story.