UK Seeking Statewide Input on Presidential Search

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 10, 2011) — The UK Board of Trustees and Presidential Search Committee have embarked on the University of Kentucky Tour of the Commonwealth – a multi-city series of forums across the state designed to solicit feedback and spark discussion about the characteristics, qualifications and priorities that the university’s next president should possess.

The first forum was held March 7, at the University of Kentucky Harlan County Extension Depot in Harlan.

Schedules for the forums are below.

Thursday, March 10:

8:30 a.m., University of Kentucky Hardin County Extension Office, 201 Peterson Drive, Elizabethtown.

2 p.m. central time, University of Kentucky Warren Extension Office, 3132 Nashville Road, Bowling Green.

Monday, March 14:

9 a.m. at the University of Kentucky Boyd County Extension Service’s Franks Extension Building at the Boyd County Fairgrounds, 1760 Addington Road, Coalton.

9 a.m., University of Kentucky Boyd County Extension Office, 2420 Center Street, Catlettsburg.

9 a.m. central time, University of Kentucky Daviess County Extension Office, 4800A, New Hartford Road, Owensboro.

1 p.m. central time, University of Kentucky Henderson County Extension Office, 3341 Highway 351 East, Henderson.

1:30 p.m. at the University of Kentucky Perry County Extension Office, 933 Perry Park Road, Hazard.

3:30 p.m. central time, University of Kentucky Hopkins County Extension Office, 75 Cornwall Drive, Madisonville.

5 p.m., Kenton County Extension Office, Durr Annex, 3099 Dixie Highway (in the K-Mart Plaza), Covington.

5 p.m., Lexington Public Library - Central Library, 140 East Main Street, downtown Lexington.

5:30 p.m., University of Kentucky Pike County Extension Office, 148 Trivette Drive, Pikeville.

Tuesday, March 15:

9 a.m. central time, University of Kentucky Christian County Extension Office, 2850 Pembroke Road, Hopkinsville.

11 a.m., University of Kentucky Pulaski County Extension Office, 28 Parkway Drive, Somerset.

3:30 p.m., University of Kentucky Laurel County Extension Office, 200 County Extension Road, London.

4:30 p.m., Room 100 (Conference Theatre), Kentucky International Convention Center, (use entrance on corner of Third and Jefferson Streets, across from Marriott Hotel), Louisville.

5 p.m. central time, University of Kentucky McCracken County Extension Office, 2705 Olivet Church Road, Paducah.

The meetings are open to the public and are being attended by various members of the UK Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee as well as, former board members, community leaders and educators.

UK is searching for its 12th president, following the announcement in September by current President Lee T. Todd Jr. that he would retire at the end of June after 10 years at the helm.

“The campus for the University of Kentucky is the Commonwealth of Kentucky. We are this state’s flagship, land-grant institution and we touch all 120 counties,” said Britt Brockman, chair of the UK Board of Trustees. “As such, in picking a new president for this institution during a time of both great challenge and opportunity, it’s important to gather input from people throughout our state about what they want to see in their president.”

Media Contacts:  Jay Blanton, (859) 699-0041; jay.blanton@uky.edu or Kathy Johnson, (859) 257-3303, ext. 251 or 559-5396; kathy.johnson@uky.edu