Morgan offered contract; Dining commons named for Adkins
Morehead State University’s Board of Regents authorized its Chair Paul C. Goodpaster to extend an offer to Dr. Joseph A. (Jay) Morgan to become the institution’s 14th president, elected officers, heard a report on preliminary spring enrollment, received the president’s report and named the new dining commons after alumnus, Rep. Rocky Adkins, during its quarterly meeting on Thursday, March 9, in the DeMoss Suite within the Center for Health, Education and Research.
After an executive session, the board voted to offer Dr. Morgan a contract. Dr. Morgan, currently serves as the chief academic officer and vice president for academic affairs and student success for the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. He provides leadership for statewide academic affairs, curriculum and programming, academic strategic planning, academic legislative and policy development, admission and enrollment requirements, diversity programming, student success/college readiness initiatives, e-learning, competency-based education, program evaluation and assessment, professional school contract placement, research and innovation, and federal and state grant administration.
Goodpaster was re-elected as Board of Regents chair.
With nearly 30 years of banking experience, Goodpaster is executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Citizens Bank in Morehead. He is responsible for the day-to-day management of the bank. He is a former chief financial officer for Rowan Technical College, now the Rowan Campus of Maysville Community and Technical College. A Morehead State graduate, Goodpaster earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in finance in 1989. He is in his second term as a member of the Board of Regents.
The board also elected Wayne Martin as vice chair.
Martin is a retired television executive. Before entering broadcasting, Martin had a successful career as a college and high school basketball coach. As head coach at Morehead State University from 1978-1987, he led the Eagles to two NCAA tournaments. At Pikeville College, where he was head coach and athletic director, Martin’s teams made three national tournament appearances. He also served as assistant basketball coach at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and head basketball coach and business teacher at Pikeville High School. Martin graduated with honors from MSU with a Bachelor of Arts in business degree, a Master of Arts in Education degree and Rank I Administrative Certification.
Sharon S. Reynolds, assistant to the president, was re-elected board secretary and Beth Patrick, chief financial officer and vice president for administration, was re-appointed treasurer.
During the meeting, Kelly Craft was approved to receive an honorary degree at the May commencement ceremony. Craft is a native of Glasgow. In 2007, she was appointed by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as a member of the U.S. delegation to the United Nation’s 61st Session of the General Assembly. She advised the American Ambassador to the U.N. on a range of issues, including U.S. engagement in Africa. She works in a variety of charitable endeavors and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Salvation Army of Lexington.
The Regents approved naming the dining commons on the east side of campus. It will be named Rocky Adkins Dining Commons. A native of Sandy Hook, Rep. Adkins is now serving in his 31st year as a state legislator. The two-time MSU graduate is well known to be “an Eagle from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet.” Rep. Adkins has been inducted into the Morehead State University Alumni Hall of Fame and was a standout basketball player during his undergraduate years.
Rep. Adkins has been a tireless advocate for education at all levels and for MSU in particular. He has played a significant role in securing state funding for the Space Science Center, the Center for Health, Education and Research (CHER), and the renovation and expansion of the Adron Doran University Center (ADUC). He also helped facilitate approval of agency bond funding for the Recreation and Wellness Center, residence hall renovations and the parking garage and dining commons that will bear his name.
The facility will be the Rocky Adkins Dining Commons, but will be informally known as “The Rock.”
The board approved tenure with promotion to associate professors to Dr. Bo Shi, assistant professor of finance; Dr. Johnathan Nelson, assistant professor of management; Dr. Janet Ratliff, assistant professor of management/entrepreneurship; Dr. Julie Rutland, assistant professor of education (ECESE); and Dr. Jonathan Pidluzny, assistant professor of government.
The regents granted sabbatical leave to Dr. Bernadette Barton, professor of sociology, fall 2017; Dr. Royal Berglee, professor of geography and international studies, spring 2018; Dr. Layne Neeper, professor of English, fall 2017; and Dongfeng Li, associate professor of art, fall 2017.
The members heard reports on preliminary spring enrollment (total preliminary enrollment for Spring 2017 was 9,356) and personal service contracts.
The group approved personnel actions; contracts for banking service; the second quarter financial report and amended the operating budget; and based upon the recommendation of the Division of Student Success, made a revision to the 2016-17 Fee Schedule from the Housing Application/Reservation Fee of $200 to an Enrollment Deposit of $150.
In his report, President Andrews spoke on the University’s activities since the last meeting and updated the members of the latest budget and legislative news.
The next quarterly meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 8.
