Western Kentucky University Board of Regents approves new certificate programs, other items

Recently, Western Kentucky University held its second quarterly Board of Regents meeting of the year, in which the board approved a handful of new certificate programs. 

Starting in the fall semester of this year, students will be able to take classes to earn graduate certificates in Executive Decision Making and Enterprise Management as well as undergraduate certificates in Creativity and Innovation Management, Managing Inclusive Organizations, Executive Influence in Organizations, and Sales. All of the new certificates will be available through the school’s Gordon Ford College of Business. 

The Board of Regents also voted to suspend two academic programs. As it stands now, Western Kentucky University offers two Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degrees; one requires students to complete a minor or a second major, while the other is a standalone program. The board has decided to close the program that requires the minor or second major in order to make the agriculture program more efficient. The board also stood by its decision to support students of the Master of Arts in Folk Studies program that was closed to new admissions during the Fall 2022 semester.

Also at the meeting, the board approved the university’s Six Year Capital Plan, which will run from 2024 through 2030. The plan prioritizes the university’s focus on its capital renewal, upgrading campus infrastructure, renovating existing facilities, and the school’s Strategic Plan.

Another approved item was an amended Memorandum of Understanding between Western Kentucky University and the College Heights Foundation, Inc. The Memorandum of Understanding clarified the relationship between the two institutions. During the development of the school’s current Strategic Plan, Western Kentucky University Foundation and the College Heights Foundation were given the task of exploring options to find more efficient pathways between both organizations while also capitalizing on the individual strengths of each. This resulted in the decision to combine the assets of both foundations into the new management of the College Heights Foundation, Inc. The new memorandum reflects those operation changes. The Memorandum of Understanding is also required for the university to meet its accreditation requirements.

Other lesser approvals by the Board of Regents include a number of routine personnel actions; the filing of the Statement of Revenues and Expenditures for the nine months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022; granting Faculty Emeritus status to Dr. Anthony Paquin, Associate Professor of Psychology; the employment contract for the Men’s Basketball Head Coach; the refunding of bonds for renovations to the Honors College and Downing Student Union; an addendum to the Head Football Coaches employment contract; and the initiation of a number of the school’s asset preservation capital projects. 

The Board also recognized two outgoing members of the board: Regent George Nichols III, who will finish his term in June and served on the Board for six years, and Student Regent Cole Bornefeld who also ends his term this June, and spent a year of service on the Board.

The next meeting of the Board of Regents will be on June 2 for a special called budget meeting and committee meetings. 

More information about Western Kentucky University can be found at the school’s website.