Last Updated on December 24, 2015
During an emergency meeting, the Board appointed a Presidential Search Advisory Committee which will be led by Board Members William Lipscomb and Gail Pitchford as Co-Chairs. The Presidential Search Advisory Committee includes the following members:
| Member | Title |
| Dr. Jonathan Eya Faculty Representative |
Professor Department of Biology |
| Melvin Jones Administrative Representative |
Vice President for Business and Finance |
| Mark Kelley, Esq. WVSU Foundation Representative |
Attorney, Ray, Winton and Kelley, PLLC |
| Paul A. Konstanty, Esq. Vice Chair, BOG |
Member Attorney Steptoe & Johnson PLLC |
| William Lipscomb, Co-Chair
Secretary, BOG |
Program Manager KISRA Second Chance Re-Entry Mentoring ProgramPresident National “W” Club Alumni Association |
| Charles Patton Community Representative |
President & COO Appalachian Power |
| Earon L. Payton II BOG Member Student Representative |
Communications Major |
| E. Gail Pitchford, Co-Chair BOG Member |
President Charleston Area Medical Center Foundation |
| Dr. Tim Ruhnke Faculty Representative |
Professor Department of Biology |
| Dr. Lateef Saffore Alumni Representative |
Senior Research Technologist The Cleveland Clinic |
| Dr. Ann Brothers Smith Chair, BOG |
Retired Educator |
| Daisy Squirts BOG Member Classified Staff Representative |
Academic Assistance Counselor Office of Counseling and Academic Support Services |
| Diane Strong-Treister Community Representative |
President Manpower |
| Tom Susman BOG Member |
President TSG Consulting |
| Dr. John F. Thralls BOG Member |
Retired Higher Education Administrator |
| Leon Vincent Williams, Esq. BOG Member |
Attorney at Law |
| Dr. Paul Hill Ex-Officio |
Chancellor West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission |
In accordance with WVSU BOG Policy 61 and the WVHEPC Title 133, Series 5, Section 2.2.2, the Board has set a tentative timeframe to have a new president by July 1, 2016. The Board also discussed the development and adoption of a search procedure, which requires WVHEPC approval.
“The presidential search and selection process is of the utmost importance as we seek to continue growth and expansion across so many levels of the University,” said Dr. Ann Brothers Smith, WVSU BOG Chair. “On behalf of my fellow Board of Governors members, I want to express my sincere gratitude to President Brian O. Hemphill for his exemplary leadership and for his willingness to assist the Board in selecting a successor of equal quality and caliber.”
Last week, President Hemphill announced he will leave the University effective June 30, 2016.
About West Virginia State University
West Virginia State University is a public, land grant, historically black university, which has evolved into a fully accessible, racially integrated, and multi-generational institution, located in Institute, W.Va. As a “living laboratory of human relations,” the university is a community of students, staff, and faculty committed to academic growth, service, and preservation of the racial and cultural diversity of the institution. Its mission is to meet the higher education and economic development needs of the state and region through innovative teaching and applied research.
Follow West Virginia State University on Facebook and Twitter @WVStateU.
Source: West Virginia State University
