MURFREESBORO, Tenn. —
Formal
oversight of Middle Tennessee State University shifted from the Tennessee Board
of Regents to a local Board of Trustees after its new governance board convened
its inaugural session Monday.
MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, joined by Gov. Bill Haslam and
witnessed by faculty, staff and community members, convened the group inside
the Student Union Ballroom and called “this historic first meeting” of the new
board to order.
McPhee said the state’s creation of individual governing boards “was
a logical step” in making sure Tennessee reached its “Drive to 55,” a goal to
have 55 percent of residents with a postsecondary degree or credential by 2025.
The 10-member board stems from the FOCUS Act that was championed by
Haslam and signed into law last year. The law established local governing
boards for MTSU and the other five former TBR universities.
“The act better aligns our post-secondary education system toward
meeting the Drive to 55 by providing a sharpened focus on governance of our
four-year, state public universities with additional oversight by local
governing boards,” McPhee said.
Haslam, during brief remarks to the new board, reminded the members
that MTSU still remains a vital part of the larger state higher education
system, yet the new local structure will allow greater latitude in setting its
own strategic priorities and is “a way to let each institution play to its
strengths,” he said.
“I do want you to focus … on how you can help Middle to continue to
achieve its potential,” Haslam told the board, adding that the state’s
increased focus on higher education “is a necessity as a state if we’re going
to compete for the jobs of the future.”
Once formally convened, the board first adopted a set of bylaws,
then elected MTSU alumnus Stephen B. Smith as its chairman.
Smith is chairman of the board of Haury and Smith Contractors and
served on the board of the Metropolitan Nashville Planning Commission. A former
Blue Raider athlete, he was instrumental in the construction in 2009 of MTSU’s
Reese Smith Jr. Field, named for his father.
The board then elected Darrell Freeman, former executive chairman of
Zycron Inc. and also an MTSU alumnus, as vice chairman.
“We’re all honored to be appointed to this board,” Smith said, “but
this is not just an honorary position. We have a tremendous moral and financial
responsibility to our student customers and our fellow Tennessee taxpayers. …
Now let’s get to work.”
The board also reaffirmed McPhee as president; adopted a code of
ethics and conflict of interest policy among other policies; and confirmed
matters related to the university’s accreditation process.
MTSU’s board is made up of eight members nominated by Haslam, one
faculty member selected by the faculty, and one non-voting student member, who
was appointed by the board Monday.
Lindsey Pierce Weaver, who served as MTSU’s student body president
in 2015-16, was approved by the board as its student member. Weaver received
her bachelor’s degree last May in child development and family studies and is
now pursuing a master’s degree at MTSU in higher education administration and
supervision.
The Tennessee General Assembly recently confirmed Haslam’s eight
board nominees, who are:
- W. Andrew Adams, chairman,
National Health Investors (three-year term)
- J.B. Baker, owner and CEO
of Sprint Logistics (three-year term)
- Pete Delay, executive in
Forterra Building Products’ Nashville office (four-year term)
- Darrell Freeman, former executive
chairman of Zycron Inc. (six-year term)
- Joey Jacobs, chairman and
CEO of Acadia Healthcare Co. (four-year term)
- Chris Karbowiak, executive
vice president, chief administrative officer and chief risk officer of
Bridgestone Americas Inc. (four-year term)
- Stephen Smith, board
chairman of Haury & Smith Contractors (six-year term)
- Pamela Wright, founder,
retired owner and CEO of Wright Travel (three-year term)
Tony Johnston, a professor in the Department of Agribusiness and
Agriscience in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, was selected by the
University Faculty Senate as the first faculty representative of the Board. He
will serve a two-year term.
For more information on the MTSU Board of Trustees, visit www.mtsu.edu/boardoftrustees.
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