Campus News

UK Community to Hear From Presidential Finalist

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 29, 2011) — The next four days could be pivotal in the history of the University of Kentucky, as the school may have its 12th president by Tuesday afternoon.

The UK Board of Trustees will interview finalists for the presidency Saturday and Sunday, April 30 and May 1, at the Marriott Cincinnati Airport in Hebron, Ky.  The board is expected to announce its preferred candidate Sunday, and that person will then come to campus Monday, May 2, for several meetings and forums.  A final vote on the presidential candidate is expected to be taken at the board's regular meeting Tuesday, May 3.

Courtesy of Wildcat Student TV, UK is live streaming many of these key announcements and forums here on UKNow.  Visit this website for


  • the announcement of the preferred candidate and the possible question and answer session with media Sunday, May 1, (the time is unknown at this point.  It will depend on the length of discussion by the board.);
  • the three forums plannned for students, faculty and staff Monday, May 2, (see schedule below); and
  • the portion of the UK Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday, May 3, when a final vote on the presidency is taken (the meeting begins at 1 p.m. and the vote will come at the end of the meeting).

Britt Brockman, chairman of the Board of Trustees, said Monday's forums will allow the campus community to get information directly from the candidate, and an online survey will allow faculty, staff and students to express their opinions about the candidate.

"It's an exciting time for our university and every member of the Board of Trustees strongly believes that it is crucial that the campus community have an opportunity to provide feedback and input about this critically important decision," Brockman said.

The schedule for the forums:


  • 10 a.m. Faculty Forum sponsored by the Senate Council, Worsham Theater, Student Center Annex
  • 11:30 a.m. Staff Forum sponsored by the Staff Senate, Worsham Theater, Student Center Annex
  • 2 p.m. Student Forum, sponsored by Student Government, Worsham Theater, Student Center Annex

Each forum will last about an hour. The candidate will briefly speak and the bulk of the time will be spent answering questions.

A free shuttle bus will run from Chandler Hospital to the Student Center.  The bus will depart 15 minutes prior to each forum and will make return trips.

Information about the online survey will be communicated in an e-mail that will be sent to all students, faculty and staff Sunday following the expected announcement of the preferred candidate.  That e-mail will remind them of their respective forums and will provide them with a link to their appropriate online survey.  The survey will be available until 6 p.m. Monday.  Results of the survey will be provided to the Board of Trustees Tuesday morning.

The board's regular meeting begins at 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Board Room on the 18th floor of the Patterson Office Tower.  The final vote on the presidency is expected to be made at the end of that meeting.

Lee T. Todd Jr. announced in September that he would retire at the end of this academic year.  A presidential search committee worked for several months to identify the finalists being interviewed this weekend.