Bevin appoints ten new members to University of Louisville Board after executive order

Less than two weeks after announcing the re-organization of the University of Louisville’s Board of Trustees through executive order, Gov. Matt Bevin named ten new individuals to the board Wednesday.

Earlier this month, Bevin announced that University of Louisville President Jim Ramsey will be stepping down from his position as head of the school and along with a new president, the university will get a new board of trustees to give the school a “fresh start.”

Through executive order, the governor has reorganized the board in order to, according to Bevin, improve efficiency, economy and the administration of the board and university.

Most of the board members were removed and in his announcement, Bevin asked the Council on Post-Secondary Education (CPE) to provide a list of people within two weeks to replace some of the removed board members.  CPE provided a list of names to the governor and Bevin’s picks were announced Wednesday.

Instead of a 17 member board, there will be 13 members—ten appointed by the governor and three current faculty, staff and student representatives that will remain on the new board. The new members appointed by Bevin include:

An interim board was appointed by Bevin through a second executive order and has been serving on the board since the initial announcement. The three members chosen by Bevin for the interim board include Benita Black, Dr. Ron Wright and Junior Bridgeman, who are all staying on the board through the new appointments.

In a statement Wednesday, Bevin said the newly appointed board marks the “dawning of a new day for the University of Louisville.”

“These newly appointed board members embody the professional experience, leadership skills and core values needed to more efficiently and effectively oversee, govern and manage the affairs of the University,” Bevin said. “This diverse group of individuals would be qualified to sit on any post-secondary board in America, and I am thankful for their willingness to serve the University of Louisville. I am confident that they will build upon the University’s many successes by governing with the utmost integrity and transparency.”