Centre College President John Roush installed as new AIKCU Board Chair
May 8th, 2008
Pikeville College President Hal Smith passes the chair’s gavel to Centre College President John Roush
Watch a video of the ceremonial gavel passing on AIKCU’s YouTube channel.
John Roush, President of Centre College in Danville, has been elected to serve a two-year term as chairman of the AIKCU board of directors. Roush succeeds Pikeville College President Hal Smith as chair. The AIKCU board is composed of the presidents of Kentucky’s 20 independent colleges and universities and two at-large members from Kentucky’s business community.
Chairman Smith passed the ceremonial gavel to incoming Chairman Roush during AIKCU’s annual recognition banquet on April 22. Before handing over the gavel, Smith reflected on a life and career path that began as a student at Centre College in the 1960s before leading into higher education administration at Centre and ultimately to the presidency at Pikeville, where he has served as president for eleven years.
“One might say that I’m a believer in independent higher education. And if you said that, you’d be right,” remarked Smith. “I believe in the value of the independent higher education experience. If it’s right for the student it cannot be beat. In fact, for most it’s a life-transforming opportunity.”
In accepting the chair position Roush thanked President Smith for his service as AIKCU chair and for “his leadership in independent higher education in Kentucky over his entire professional life.”
“This is an exciting time for independent higher education in Kentucky,” said Gary S. Cox, AIKCU President. “Independent colleges and universities are thriving and in a terrific position to help move Kentucky’s economy and people forward. But there are some serious challenges, and President Roush is the type of leader who can really bring our folks together to focus our efforts on our common interests.”
Kentucky’s independent colleges and universities have committed to playing a significant role in the Council on Postsecondary Education’s “Double the Numbers” plan to double Kentucky’s number of bachelor’s degree holders by 2020.
“The Commonwealth of Kentucky finds itself at a point in its history when it must decide how much it values higher education - public and independent,” said Roush. “The independent sector stands ready to provide the citizens of this state with education of the highest quality, yet still accessible to young people of lesser means. That is the tradition of private colleges and universities in Kentucky.”
Bill Huston, President of St. Catharine College in Springfield was named chair-elect and will succeed Roush at the end of his two-year term. John Weber, CFO of Graeter’s Ice Cream, KY was reelected as treasurer.