KENTUCKY, USA — Gov. Beshear appointed eight members Thursday to Kentucky State University's Board of Regents. Nominees include a former Kentucky governor, a former state auditor, and several KSU alumni.
KSU, the state’s only public historically Black university, has remained under state oversight since last summer when concerns about the school’s finances and lawsuits alleging misconduct by campus officials came to a head.
A state report, ordered by Beshear, later found evidence of poor financial management by university leadership.
Last week, the Democratic governor signed legislation that required him to appoint a new board by April 4. The board, which will have to be confirmed by the Senate, is tasked with steering the 136-year-old institution through a financial recovery and an extensive review of departments, programs, faculty, and staff.
State lawmakers passed legislation Wednesday that mandated the evaluation. The bill also appropriated an extra $15 million for the school, in addition to the $23 million school officials had requested to stabilize the school’s finances.
If signed into law, the KSU Board of Regents would have the authority to fire any employee, including tenured employees, upon a 30-day notice. The board would also be required to suspend its search for a university president until April 15, 2023.
In a statement, Beshear said he was grateful that a group “of highly qualified individuals, with diverse backgrounds and expertise, has stepped up to serve KSU students, staff and alumni through their work on this board.”
“They are helping ensure the university’s long-term success, and when KSU succeeds, Kentucky succeeds," he added. "As the state’s only public HBCU, this university holds a unique place in our past, present, and future, helping make higher education more accessible and inclusive.”
The nominees include:
Ernie Fletcher, a physician and former Republican governor of Kentucky from 2003 to 2007, will serve for a term expiring on June 30, 2023.
Edward Hatchett, a former Democratic state auditor from 1995 to 2003, will serve for a term ending on June 30, 2025.
Tammi Dukes, an automotive executive, and KSU graduate will serve for a term expiring June 30, 2027.
Charles Moyer, a professor and former dean at the University of Louisville College of Business, will serve for a term expiring June 30, 2027. Moyer is also a graduate of Howard University.
Michael Adams Jr., a KSU graduate and a vice president at Independence Bank, and a managing member of Urban Industries LLC will serve for a term expiring June 30, 2024.
Jason Moseley, a head basketball coach at Frederick Douglas High School in Lexington and KSU graduate, will serve for a term expiring June 30, 2026.
Gerald Patton, a former director of assessment and educational effectiveness at California State University and KSU graduate, will serve for a term expiring June 30, 2022.
Robert Ramsey, who served as Executive Branch Cabinet secretary during the Fletcher administration, will also serve for a term expiring June 30, 2022. He is a graduate of Florida A&M University.
Hudspeth Blackburn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.
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