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FRANKFORT – The Kentucky State University Board of Regents widens participation for Board members, the Kentucky Council for Postsecondary Education, faculty, staff and students in its search for KSU's 19th president, fostering shared governance and strengthening buy-in from the campus community.

The Board announced its search committee chair and co-chair, along with the remaining committee members responsible for working with the search firm, Myer McRae Executive Search and Consulting, to provide a pool of candidates for its next president.

Mr. Stephen A. Mason, a local Frankfort resident, KSU alumnus and former KSU Chief of Staff, will chair the committee, and Board Chair Gerald W. Patton named Regent Tammi Dukes, a KSU alumna who has more than 20 years of experience in the areas of audit and compliance, as the Board’s representative, as co-chair.

“The Board is committed to a more open search that is acceptable to not only Board members but equally beneficial to the voice of faculty, students and staff,” said Chair Patton. “An open search process will set a standard of shared governance for our future president and the University community, providing a foundation for a strong, healthy relationship.”

Mason brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the presidential search committee chair role. He understands the institution's strengths, challenges, opportunities and threats and has worked as an auditor for the Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts, as a senior fiscal analyst for the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, and for the House Democratic Leadership Office.

The Kentucky Council for Postsecondary Education has selected its senior director for Kentucky State University Relations, Dr. Stephanie Mayberry as committee representative. Dr. Herman Walston, Kentucky State University Board of Regents vice chair, will be a committee member. Frankfort Mayor Layne Wilkerson will serve as the community agent. Dr. Changzheng Wang, professor, will represent the faculty. Student Government Association President and Regent Savion Briggs is the student body designee. President of the Staff Senate JaMecca Alexander will speak for University staff, and the president of the Kentucky State University National Alumni Association, Richard Graves, will represent the interest of University alumni.

The Presidential Search Committee’s charge is to conduct a search process to identify finalists for the Kentucky State University presidency. The Search Committee shall prepare a report summarizing the search process for the Board of Regents. In addition, the Committee shall identify and evaluate candidates for President. The Committee's evaluation shall include the strengths and areas of concern for each of the final candidates in an unranked format and a formal recommendation to the Board of Regents of at most five (5) but at least three (3) finalists.

To assist the presidential search committee, the KSU Board of Regents approved the selection of the experienced search firm, Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting, and the following appointed liaisons:

• Dr. Clara Ross Stamps, Senior Vice President for Brand Identity and University Relations
• Mr. Michael DeCourcy, Executive Director for Institutional Advancement
• Attorney Zachary Atwell, Deputy General Counsel and Board Secretary

Additional information about the first meeting will be available when the presidential search committee finalizes details. Regular updates from the presidential search committee will be provided throughout the process and will be found on the Kentucky State University presidential search website, which is forthcoming.