WKU News

Regent Derrick Helm (left) and Staff Regent Jennifer Hammonds (right) took the Oath of Office at Friday's meeting. (WKU photo by Clinton Lewis)

Two new members of the Western Kentucky University Board of Regents took the Oath of Office at the Board’s third quarterly meeting of the calendar year Friday (August 9). Regent Derrick Helm of Jamestown and Staff Regent Jennifer Hammonds of Bowling Green were sworn in by Board Vice Chair Jan West. Helm replaces Linda Ball and Hammonds replaces former Staff Regent David Brinkley, whose terms both ended June 30. Sam Kurtz of Bowling Green was re-elected Student Body President in the spring, and will therefore fulfill another term as the university’s Student Regent.

The Regents approved two honorific namings Friday morning. The office suites in the Mahurin Honors College will be named in honor of Dr. Craig T. Cobane, who since 2005 served as the Executive Director of the WKU Mahurin Honors College until his death in May of this year. The Board also approved naming Garrett Plaza located at the former site of the Garrett Conference Center in honor of WKU’s second president, Dr. Paul Garrett, and his wife, Virginia. 

The Board also approved Professor Emeritus status for Dr. Harold Little, Associate Professor of Accounting. To be considered for emeritus status, a faculty member must have served the university for at least 10 years and have had a distinguished record of achievement and service.

The Regents approved the suspension of the program Master of Arts in Teaching in Middle Grades Education for Initial Certification. That program is being replaced by the Master of Arts in Teacher Education for Initial Certification program, making the former program redundant. The new program provides students competencies in theory, research and application of best teaching practices in their respective fields to increase student achievement.

The WKU Regents also voted to approve increases to several campus improvement projects. Among them, the scope of work to preserve, renovate and modernize Cherry Hall was boosted from $30 million to $75 million after a feasibility study determined that the original $30 million authorization was not sufficient. Work on Cherry Hall is expected to commence in 2026. Also, the Board approved a $25 million agency bond authorization to complete construction on the new home of the Gordon Ford College of Business. This additional money will be added to the $74.4 million allocation WKU previously received from the General Assembly.

In the 2024-2026 state budget, WKU was allocated more than $57 million over the next biennium in Asset Preservation Funds, intended for use on preservation, renovation and maintenance projects of campus facilities. Regardless of the funding source, Board approval is required for all projects funded from the Asset Preservation Pool that meet or exceed $1 million. At Friday’s meeting, the Board approved increases to WKU Asset Preservation Funds for:

• Renovation of the Kentucky Museum
• Building renovation and Data Center upgrades in Jody Richards Hall
• Upgrades to the university’s high voltage underground electrical system
• Various Glasgow campus improvement or maintenance projects
• A section of roof at South Campus
• Renovation work in Gary Ransdell Hall
• Replacing chillers/towers at the Engineering and Biological Sciences Building
• Modernizing the Wetherby Administration Building HVAC system
• Roofing renewal at the Innovation Campus
• HVAC system replacement at the Innovation Campus
• College High Hall renovations to reduce noise in the learning environment
• Roof refurbishment of Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center
• Roof refurbishment of AA1 (annex)
• Preservation work on Parking Structures 1, 2 and 3

Additionally, the Regents approved raising the minimum endowment fund amount from $10,000 to $25,000, the first time the university has increased its endowment fund amount. Prior to Friday’s increase, WKU remained the only public institution in Kentucky at the $10,000 level, and the proposed $25,000 minimum is comparable to 18 benchmark institutions. Raising the endowment to $25,000 allows for larger annual distributions to academic programs, scholarships and strategic initiatives, more than doubling the minimum current annual payout from $400 to $1,000. 

In other business, the Board of Regents:

• Approved the 2024-2025 internal audit work plan
• Approved construction increases for the press box and Hilltopper Fieldhouse
• Approved a resolution for authorization, issuance and sale of general receipts
• Approved enabling WKU to request $1 million from the Council on Postsecondary Education Endowment Match Program through the Comprehensive University Excellence Trust Fund to match gifts and pledges by private donors that are eligible for matching money from the state
• Approved Memorandums of Understanding between the Hilltopper Athletic Foundation and WKU and the Western Kentucky University Alumni Association and WKU to formally define the relationships between the entities as required by WKU’s accrediting body

The Board of Regents will next meet on October 18, 2024, to conduct Committee Meetings.

Contact: Jace Lux, jace.lux@wku.edu

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Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.