Regents approve 2017-18 operating budget; name Saxon as Founders Award recipient
Morehead State University's Board of Regents approved a $152.2 million operating budget, granted tenure and the rank of professor to incoming president Dr. Joseph A. (Jay) Morgan, granted emeritus status to retiring president Dr. Wayne D. Andrews, and announced the selection of Dr. David Saxon for the Founders Award during its quarterly meeting held Thursday, June 8.
The Board approved a $152.2 million operating budget – an increase of $1.3 million or 0.9 percent - for the 2017-18 academic year. The budget also includes a 4.92 percent tuition increase for undergraduate students along with a 6.2 percent increase in student housing. There will be no increase in graduate student tuition.
The University Service Award Committee has recommended that Saxon be the recipient of the 2017 Founders Award for University Service. He retired from Morehead State University in 2016 after 49 years of loyal and dedicated service as a professor of biology. A native of Wingo, Saxon received B.S. and M.S. degrees from Morehead State and a Ph.D. in physiology from Southern Illinois University.
Awards received include the Morehead State University Distinguished Teaching Award, MSU Student Government Faculty Member of the Year Award, MSU Greek Life Faculty Member of the Year Award, Greek Student Master Teacher Award, and Northeast Area Health Education Center Mentorship of the Year Award.
As director of premedical advising for many years, Saxon developed premedical curriculum paths to guide students in preparation for the Medical College Admission Test and medical school. He has written evaluation letters for hundreds of students applying to medical school. He has been devoted to activities at SOAR, sponsorship of Prae-Medicorum/Premedical Society, and volunteering for enrollment services events.
The regents recognized outgoing board members Adam Abbott of Buckhorn, student regent, and Dr. Royal Berglee of Morehead, faculty regent, for their service to the University.
The group approved personnel policies PAc-22 faculty discipline and removal for cause and PAc-26 termination of faculty for financial exigency and discontinuance of program. Revisions of PAc-27 (tenure and reappointment review) and PG-50 (staff performance management system) also were approved.
The Board approved the fee schedule and personnel roster as well as ratified personnel actions, awarded degrees to the 2017 spring graduates, approved minimum scope of the annual audit, and accepted the third quarter financial report and amended operating budget.
The regents heard reports on 2017 final spring enrollment; personal service contracts; and a recap of Student Government Association activities for the academic year.
Dr. Morgan, who will become president July 1, was granted tenure and the rank of professor while President Andrews was granted emeritus status upon his retirement on June 30.
The Board approved tenure with promotion to professors Dr. Jennifer O’Keefe, geology and science education; Dr. Timothy Simpson, education (FGSE); Dr. Brian Mason, music; Dr. Kristina DuRocher, history; and Denise Watkins, theatre.
The regents approved the granting of emeritus status to Dr. Thomas Creahan, associate professor of economics; Dr. Donna Everett, associate professor of business education; Dr. Beverly McCormick, professor of real estate; Peggy Osborne, associate professor of marketing; Dr. Larry Albert, professor of speech; Dr. Noel Earl, assistant professor of speech; George Eklund, professor of English; Dr. June Grice, associate professor of music; Dr. Wendell O’Brien, professor of philosophy; Dr. David Saxon, professor of biology; and Dr. Dayna Seelig, professor of kinesiology.
Vanessa Flannery, associate professor of nursing, and Dr. Sylvia Henneberg, professor of English, were approved for educational leave for the 2018 Spring Semester.
The Board also approved the Strategic Enrollment Management Plan for 2017-19 and ratified the Six-Year Capital Plan (2018-24).
“The time that I have spent here at Morehead State University has been the most satisfying of any of the places that Sue and I have been,” said Dr. Andrews. “Morehead State is a wonderful place and I thank (the regents) for all their hard work during my time as president. We will cherish the friends and friendships we have made during our nearly 13 years here.”
The next quarterly meeting will be Thursday, Sept. 28.
Pictured above, from left: Dr. Royal Berglee, faculty regent, Paul C. Goodpaster, board chair, and Adam Abbott, student regent.
