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President
at Kentucky State
University
The Board of Regents of Kentucky State University, a public, historically Black land-grant university, has
launched a national search for the 19th President of the University. The next President will have a significant impact on the future of the
University, its role in the community, and its impact in the region and state. As the executive officer of the University, the President
provides visionary leadership and transparent stewardship to accomplish the mission and goals of the University.
For complete information,
see the Search Profile at
https://myersmcrae.com/skins/userfiles/files/KYSU-President.pdf
On July 20, 2021, Governor
Andy Beshear signed Executive Order 2021-504, directing the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) to provide, among other items,
a report assessing the financial status of Kentucky State University before providing recommendations for biennial appropriations.
In March 2022, the Kentucky General Assembly passed Senate Bill 265, which declared an emergency at Kentucky State University due to
a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall. The Bill directed Governor Beshear to replace Kentucky State’s Board of Regents by April 1,
2022, to create a new and sustained path for the University and its future. Governor Beshear signed the Bill, and the Board was
replaced.
Additionally, House Bill 250 appropriated $23 million for CPE in the fiscal year 2021–2022 for the purpose
of supporting KSU and required CPE to create and oversee a multi-year Management Improvement Plan for Kentucky State University.
A high priority for the next President of Kentucky State University will be to lead the University in working collaboratively with
the KSU Board of Regents and CPE so the institution can move forward in successfully meeting its mission, priorities, and goals.
ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY
Kentucky State
University (KSU) (www.kysu.edu) is a public, comprehensive,
historically Black land-grant university located in Frankfort. The University is committed to advancing the Commonwealth of Kentucky,
enhancing society, and impacting individuals by providing quality teaching with a foundation in liberal studies, scholarly research, and
public service to enable productive lives within the diverse global economy.
Founded in 1886 as the State Normal School for Colored
Persons and named a land-grant college under the Second Morrill Act of 1890, Kentucky State University became Kentucky’s second
state-supported institution of higher learning.
Today, the University is one of the most diverse institutions among Historically
Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the nation and the most diverse among the state’s public universities. KSU’s student
body is comprised, almost equally, of African American students, 50 percent, and 50 percent of other diverse populations, and hopefully a
growing number of international students evidencing the richness of the University’s global perspective. Additionally, this same ratio
applies to the employees of the University.
Kentucky State has an enrollment of approximately 1,300 students and 79 full-time faculty
members. The University’s student-faculty ratio is the lowest among public institutions of higher learning in Kentucky.
Students have the opportunity to receive an associate degree in two disciplines; a baccalaureate degree in 22 majors, several of which
have optional specializations; a master’s degree in eight disciplines; and a doctoral degree in nursing practice. KSU’s location
in the capital city of Frankfort affords the University the opportunity to offer unique and outstanding state government student
internships.
Accreditation Reaffirmation
In 2019, Kentucky State reaffirmed its accreditation with the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The University received the best possible review with the
committee finding KSU in full compliance and offering no recommendations or requests for continued monitoring. SACSCOC reaffirmed
Kentucky State’s accreditation for the next 10 years.
Kentucky State demonstrates its high bar of excellence with national
accreditation of many of its academic programs, including Education, Nursing, Social Work, Public Administration, Business Administration,
and Music.
Quality Enhancement Plan
As part of the reaffirmation process, Kentucky State developed a Quality
Enhancement Plan (QEP): “Learning that Works.” This program seeks to introduce students to essential skills for career readiness
through a required freshman-level class, “Navigating the Technological World,” that focuses on the past, present, and future of
technology. As part of the class, the students learn several approaches to critical thinking and problem-solving, including design thinking,
systems thinking, and ethical thinking. These skills are acquired through a teamwork-based approach which culminates in a group project that
seeks solutions for problems brought about by the contemporary, technology-driven world.
Prestigious Membership
In 2020, Kentucky State University became the first public historically Black institution, the first college in the Commonwealth of
Kentucky, and only the second Morrill Land-grant Act of 1890 institution to be granted membership in the prestigious Council of Public
Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC). Founded in 1987, COPLAC has 29 current members. Membership is limited to public universities and colleges
that demonstrate a dedication to liberal arts education as the best and most comprehensive preparation for a life of purpose and meaning
within society.
The Role of a Land-grant Institution
As a land-grant college through the second Morrill
Act of 1890, Kentucky State conducts research, provides cooperative extension services, and teaches programs in the food and agricultural
sciences that serve the state and nation. KSU’s 882-acre campus includes a 307-acre agricultural research farm and a 306-acre
environmental education center. The School of Agriculture, Communities, and the Environment (ACE) offers two undergraduate and two graduate
degree programs and multiple certificate programs. The ACE has nationally and internationally recognized research programs in aquaculture
(fish farming), organic agriculture, sustainable biofuel feedstock production, alternative fruit and nut crops, ecological entomology,
alternative pesticides and water quality, global information systems, agroforestry, goat production, biotechnology, obesity and human
health, and apiculture.
Scholarships and Gifts
Kentucky State has established several partnerships that
benefit students through scholarships and grants. In 2022, CHI Saint Joseph Health invested $2.5 million in tuition assistance and program
support of the Kentucky State’s School of Nursing over a five-year period. The alliance will include direct job placement for nurses
at CHI Saint Joseph Health upon completion of the KSU nursing program.
The University partnership with Bulleit Frontier Whiskey
includes an annual scholarship of $25,000 to students in the Master of Science in Environmental Studies program over a five-year period.
Diageo North America, the holding company of Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, has made a broader $10 million commitment to fund permanent
endowments at 25 HBCUs to develop future leaders and help shape a more equitable society, which includes a $1 million gift to Kentucky
State.
Addressing Needs of the State
Made possible by Kentucky State Senate Bill 270, a partnership between
Kentucky State University, Simmons College of Kentucky, and West Louisville has been established that will help address issues of health
education, wellness, and food insecurity in West Louisville and will prepare more teachers of color.
In addressing the
food desert in West Louisville, where the nearest grocery store is 10 miles away and no restaurant is nearby, Kentucky State’s
agriculture program will work with the community to develop various gardening practices to help alleviate the problem until a grocer for the
area can be identified and implemented. The University also will work with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) to assist in
the delivery of public assistance, social support services, and health and nutrition services to the area.
Athletics
Kentucky State intercollegiate athletic teams, Thorobreds, participate as a member of the National
Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Men’s sports include baseball,
basketball, cross country, football, golf, volleyball, and indoor and outdoor track and field. Women’s sports include basketball,
cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field, softball, and volleyball.
KSU IS ORGANIZED INTO THREE ACADEMIC
COLLEGES
The College of Agriculture, Community, and the Environment
- School of Agriculture,
Communities, and the Environment - School of Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences
- School of Education, Human Development, and
Consumer Sciences - School of Nursing
- School of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
The
College of Humanities, Business, and Society
- School of Behavioral and Social Sciences
- School of
Business - School of Criminal Justice and Political Science
- School of the Humanities and Performing Arts
- School of
Public Administration - School of Social Work
The Whitney Young Honors Collegium
The Whitney
Young Honors Collegium is an integrated liberal studies academic program that emphasizes the development of global student leaders who are
innovative and committed to the learning process, experimentation, and community service learning.
Five distinct Liberal
Studies degrees are available through the Whitney Young Honors Collegium. The Bachelor’s degree options include the Honors Program
degree in Liberal Studies, a general studies “completion degree,” and a student-designed major in liberal studies.
THE OPPORTUNITY
The President of Kentucky State University will be a visionary leader and strategic thinker who
will bring outstanding administrative experience, strong character and integrity, and a commitment to the mission of the University. The
successful candidate will value Kentucky State’s culture, community, and heritage, especially its role as one of the nation’s
leading HBCUs.
The President will have a proven leadership style that evokes trust, welcomes collaboration, reflects confident
decision making, and effectively engages the talents and experiences of the administration, faculty, and staff. This executive officer will
enhance the connectedness of each part of the University community and will booster Kentucky State’s commitment to scholarship,
multiculturalism, and diversity.
The President will foster a vibrant and empowered working and learning environment that reflects the
University’s commitment to being a student-centered institution and promotes activities and programs designed for student success as
well as students’ personal and academic development and mental health. This leader will have an appreciation for the faculty’s
work in teaching, learning, creativity, and scholarship, and a willingness to support and enhance these endeavors.
Together, with the
abilities to balance and prioritize, the President will possess discernment and judgment to assess, modify, and find a coherent path on
which the University can pursue its mission and goals. A confident and perceptive administrator, the President will be able to ask the tough
questions, make the difficult decisions, and pursue a strong strategic course of action that ensures the institution successfully moves
forward. This administrator will understand the importance of working collaboratively with others and finding common ground among diverse
viewpoints, while bringing about data-driven results through decisive, adaptive, and innovative actions.
The President will be an
experienced, transparent financial steward who has overseen complex budgets and has worked with a governing board to develop and implement
strategies to sustain and, over time, fortify an institution’s financial position. This executive officer will seek partnerships that
strengthen and expand programs and, as the principal fund raiser for the institution, will maintain established and develop new
relationships, both public and private, that result in increased financial resources to achieve goals.
Both articulate and
compelling, the President will support the significant role the institution plays in the community at large. Fully embracing the role of
Kentucky State’s chief ambassador, the President will become engaged in the community, region, and state to advocate for the
University and to share its story of success.
The President currently has nine direct reports: Executive Vice President for Finance
and Administration and Chief Financial Officer, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Senior Vice President for Brand Identity
and University Relations, Vice President for Student Engagement and Campus Life, Director of Government Relations and Economic Innovation,
Director of Athletics, General Counsel, Chief of Staff, and Business Manager of Executive Operations.
The President reports to and
serves at the pleasure of the Kentucky State University Board of Regents, the University’s governing body. The Board consists of 11
members, including a staff representative, student representative, faculty representative, and eight Governor-appointed members. The
President will collaborate, communicate, and counsel with the Board of Regents to create a team that works seamlessly to advance the mission
of the University.
Responsibilities and Duties
In serving as the chief administrative and educational officer
of the University, the President will perform such duties and responsibilities as may be prescribed by the Board of Regents as follows:
- To make and provide interpretation and implementation of Board Policy, through the promulgation of administrative regulations, for
all aspects of the academic and other functions of the University, coordinating it with whatever individual, groups, or organizations may be
required - To recommend major policies and other major actions to the Board of Regents for its final action and to be the official
medium of communication between the Board of Regents and the various segments of the University and their official bodies - To make
final decisions for which the President has received delegated responsibility over a wide range of activities from the Board of Regents;
such actions are ordinarily taken after consultation with various concerned individuals, groups, or organizations - To enforce the
Board Policies, administrative regulations, and guidelines of the University - To recommend to the Board the employment of
administrative faculty and vice-president-level and above staff - To employ all other non-administrative faculty and employees of the
University whose compensation shall fall within the approved University Classification and Compensation System - To recommend to the
Board changes in administrative structure and organization of the University that enhance and align with its mission - To recommend
to the Board faculty tenure and administrative promotion decisions - To prepare annual budgets after consultation with and input from
the Board and others as appropriate, and to recommend all other budgets and any modifications of these budgets as needed to the Board - To appoint University-wide committees
- To manage the University through officials who report to the Office of the President
- To provide leadership in the development of academic instruction, research, and service programs by making initiatives to the Faculty
Senate and to the faculties of academic units and their planning committees concerning changes in curriculum or academic policies which are
the responsibility of the faculty - To serve as an ex-officio member of all faculties and all faculty committees, to call and preside
over the meeting of the University faculty and such advisory groups as the President chooses to appoint, and at his/her direction to call
meetings of the faculties of the several colleges and schools of the University - To be responsible for all University functions
relating to student affairs and the life of students at the University, as well as intramural and extramural or intercollegiate
athletics - To be responsible for all aspects of the relations of the University to the community and for providing information about
the activities of the University - To be responsible for public relations
- To maintain continuing relations with governmental
agencies at city, county, state, and federal levels as required by the mission of the University - To be responsible for relations of
the University with alumni - To be responsible for raising funds from the federal government, state and local public sources,
corporations, private individuals, foundations, and other sources - To supervise programs for constant maintenance and improvement of
their quality, for effective service to students, for the adequacy of research, and for their accountability to the people of the
Commonwealth, to the students, and to grantors or donors - To be responsible for the University’s role in construction and
renovation, in maintenance of buildings and grounds, in the acquisition of essential new facilities, equipment, and library materials, and
in space allocation and utilization - To prepare and submit to the Board of Regents an annual report on the work and general status
of the University - To delegate as appropriate the responsibility for carrying out any of the above functions
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS
- Experience working with an HBCU
- Experience in legislative
advocacy - Experience with and understanding of the mission of an 1890 Land-Grant institution
- Innovative, creative, and
progressive leadership - Energetic, entrepreneurial, and student-focused workstyle
QUALIFICATIONS
The successful candidate will have an earned terminal degree from a regionally accredited institution and at least seven years of
progressively responsible leadership experience in an academic or professional role.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND
ABILITIES
- Ability to work with the Board or Regents and University community to develop a vision and strategic plan
and ensure its successful implementation - Proven professional experience with financial planning and management, fundraising, and
strategic planning - Demonstrated success in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within an institution of higher
education - Excellent listening, interpersonal, oral, and written communications skills
- Ability to work effectively and
collegially within a university system to negotiate with a wide array of constituencies - Commitment to a student-centered and
student-supported campus climate with expectation of quality and excellence - Ability to make timely decisions based on data
analytics that will strengthen the future of the institution - Knowledge of leading-edge trends in higher education, especially
related to technology, emerging job fields, and student success outcomes - Experience developing effective relationships with a full
range of external constituents, and a commitment to community engagement - Experience as a catalyst for change with proven change
management skills, including the ability to galvanize and inspire employees as changes are made
FRANKFORT,
KENTUCKY
Kentucky State University is in the commonwealth’s capital city of Frankfort. Nestled between Louisville and
Lexington along the banks of the Kentucky River, Frankfort is in the heart of bourbon, horse, and wine country. Preservation of historic
structures throughout the city adds to its picturesque quality.
With a population of approximately 25,000, Frankfort offers natural
charm, small-town friendliness, and community engagement with big-city amenities and opportunities just short distances away. Easily
accessible by major highways, Frankfort is within a short drive of Lexington (30 miles), Louisville (53 miles), and Cincinnati (85
miles).
Frankfort offers festivals throughout the year and a wide array of public art, museums, and galleries to visit. Outside
recreation offers hiking, biking, cruising the river, fishing, boating, and great parks. While the distilleries and wineries draw visitors,
the city also offers, great opportunities to explore antiques shops, bookstores, farmers markets, retails stores, and even a candy factory.
From coffee bars to cafés and specialty restaurants, residents and visitors can enjoy a delicious delight or meal.
Kentucky
State is Frankfort’s only university and a strong town-gown relationship mutually benefits the University and the community. This is
especially evident in the ever-growing list of Kentucky State alumni who serve as politicians and educators, as well as business,
agriculture, and industry leaders.
APPLICATION & NOMINATION PROCESS
Confidential inquiries are
welcomed, and nominations are invited.
Applications
- Application packet must include the following:
a) a letter of application that addresses the responsibilities and qualifications of the position, shared governance, diversity, and the
importance of HBCUs, b) current curriculum vitae, and c) at least four references with full contact information including e-mails
(References will not be contacted without consent from applicant.) - Submit application packet (preferably as PDFs) to [email protected]. Additional information will be requested upon receipt of
application. For best consideration, submit applications by April 21, 2023. Applications will be accepted until the
position is filled.
Nominations
Submit nominations to [email protected] with complete contact and e-mail information for the individual
being nominated.
Consultant
Kenny Daugherty, President of Myers McRae Executive
Search and Consulting, is assisting Kentucky State University with this search. Request a conversation at [email protected].
Kentucky State University is an
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and educational institution and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over),
color, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, national origin, political belief, pregnancy, race,
religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status in the admission to, or participation in, any educational program or activity (e.g.,
athletics, academics and housing) which it conducts, or in any employment policy or practice.
Myers McRae Executive
Search and Consulting
myersmcrae.com | 478-330-6222