Higher Education Policy Commission adds four members to chancellor search committee
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission today named four additional members to the search committee for the state’s next higher education chancellor.
Policy Commission Chairman Michael J. Farrell said the four new members broaden the now 17-member committee to include geographic representatives from the eastern, central and northern regions of West Virginia, including a university president appointee who will represent the colleges and universities themselves.
The new members are:
Dr. Bruce Berry
Retired physician and former chairman of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
Morgantown
Ms. Sandra Chapman
Founding member of Casey & Chapman, PLLC, and former president of the West Virginia Board of Education
Wheeling
Dr. Mary Hendrix
President of Shepherd University, representing the Council of Presidents for the West Virginia public colleges and universities
Shepherdstown
Mr. Gary Ray
Retired former executive director of the West Virginia Secondary Schools Activities Commission and 2016 Glenville State College “Alumnus of the Year”
Fayetteville
Farrell, who leads the search committee, said that while the committee is large, the position they are charged with filling has statewide reach and requires a great deal of experience and knowledge regarding higher education.
“Input and advice from a broad spectrum of constituents is necessary to help us find the absolute best person for our chancellor,” he said. “I appreciated and acted upon the suggestions that we received to broaden the search committee. We have assembled an extremely talented and sincere group of West Virginians who have proven themselves as dedicated to the well-being of our students and our state’s higher education system. I thank them all for agreeing to serve.”
The other members of the committee previously approved by the Higher Education Policy Commission are:
Dr. Jerry Beasley
Former president of Concord University
Athens
Mr. Joseph A. Beeson
Member of the Board of Directors, West Virginia Independent Colleges and Universities, and assistant managing member of Robinson & McElwee, PLLC
Charleston
Dr. Marybeth Beller
Associate professor and director of the Master’s in Public Administration program at Marshall University, and vice chair of the statewide Advisory Council of Faculty
Huntington
Dr. Sarah Denman
Former provost of Marshall University
Huntington
Ms. Kathy Eddy
Former member, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, and certified public accountant, McDonough, Eddy, Parsons & Baylous, A.C.
Parkersburg
Ms. Georgette George
Vice chair, West Virginia Regional Technology Park Board of Directors, and CEO, Monarch Family of Hotels
South Charleston
Mr. Michael Farrell
Chair, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, and founding member of Farrell, White & Legg, PLLC
Huntington
Mr. Thomas A. Heywood
Managing Partner, Bowles Rice
Former chief of staff and general counsel for Gov. Gaston Caperton
Charleston
Ms. Lisa Moten
Director of the Erma Byrd Higher Education Center
Beckley
Mr. Drew Payne
Secretary of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
Charleston
Ms. Amy Pitzer
Program coordinator senior at Concord University, and chair of the statewide Advisory Council of Classified Employees
Athens
Mr. Kevin Sloan
Current student at West Virginia State University
Nitro
Dr. John Thralls
Former member of the West Virginia State University Board of Governors, and former vice chancellor for administration, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
Hurricane
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