By Kyeland Jackson —
Governor Matt Bevin has named the new trustees for U of L’s governing body.
The trustees are:
- J. David Grissom
- John Schnatter
- Sandra Frazier
- Nitin Sahney
- Bonita Black
- Douglas Cobb
- Ulysses Bridgeman Jr.
- Ronald Wright
- Dale Boden
- Diane Medley
President James Ramsey commented on the appointments.
“We appreciate Governor Bevin’s appointment of the new board. I have met with the three interim board members as well as the faculty, student and staff representatives and I plan to meet with the additional board members soon, Ramsey said.
“I look forward to working with this new board as we move the university forward.”
Bevin’s executive action, dissolving the board and announcing President James Ramsey’s resignation, has been questioned by U of L faculty and Attorney General Andy Beshear. Beshear filed a temporary restraining order against Bevin last week, attempting to stop the order.
Beshear issued a statement on the appointments, calling Bevin’s actions a threat to the university’s independence and accreditation.
“Our legal challenge is not about who will or will not serve on a board of trustees. It is to prevent Gov. Matt Bevin from asserting ‘absolute authority’ to control the board and the university by simply dissolving the board anytime he disagrees with it,” Beshear said in his statement.
“Such power would threaten the independence and possibly the accreditation of the university.”
The university has been in flux since Bevin’s announcement, prompting worries for accreditation, emergency meetings among faculty and staff, and reassurances by Ramsey that business is as usual. The faculty senate will meet to discuss events during an emergency session today at 3 pm. Ramsey and interim-provost Neville Pinto have been invited to the public forum, where members of the local American Association of University Professors plans to attend.
This story will be updated.
