By James El-Mallakh–

With the fall semester well underway at the University of Louisville, the university’s board of trustees has elected a new chairman, Frank Minni eld. A former U of L and NFL football player and current business owner, Minni eld will replace the outgoing chairman, Owsley Brown Frazier.

The Louisville Cardinal got acquainted with Minnifield and discussed his new position as the chairman of the U of L
board of trustees.

Q: What is the job of the board of trustees?
A: What the board of director’s primary two reasons for existing is, one, they are there to protect the citizens of the state of Kentucky and make sure that nobody is taking from the university or taking from the state of Kentucky. Our second purpose for being there is that, if the university ever needs a president, it’s our responsibility to put the process in motion to  nd the top candidate that we can find in order to be the president of the University of Louisville.

Q: How is the task as the head of the board of trustees di erent from the rest of the members on the board?
A: I will work more closely with the president on agenda items. I will work more closely with the President when it comes to things that come to the board. But [the board of trustees chairman is] not that big of a role, as far as the university as a whole is concerned.

Q: Why were you chosen for this position?
A: I would hope that [President James Ramsey] realizes that I’m a person he can trust, I would hope that he believes that I’m a person that’s going to give him my very best and going to be diligent as far as any and all board related decisions that we need to make.

Q: Why did you choose to accept the job of head of the board of trustees?
A: I think it’s an opportunity to show leadership at a time when the University of Louisville is changing so rapidly. [On the hospital merger issue] I think that hopefully I can help and bring constituents to the discussion that may not be in the discussion and it will be a more community- wide decision.  e growth that is taking place on campus, that’s right down my forte… I think that because I’ve done those types of things I think I can serve as a very positive in uence on the process.

Q: Do you feel optimistic about the future of the university, the direction it’s headed in and what part you play in all of it?
A: I think the university is one of the greatest institutions in the whole country. I owe a great debt of gratitude to the university because the university was there when I needed a university. I think the future is extremely bright… I think you’ve got some of the greatest leadership throughout the country at the University of Louisville.

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