WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., Dec. 7, 2022 — The West Liberty University Board of Governors (BOG) made history today by naming Dr. Cathy Monteroso its interim president during its regularly scheduled meeting held at 4 p.m. in Shaw Hall and on Zoom.
She will be the first woman to serve in this leadership role.
After calling the meeting to order and covering most of its agenda (Click here for complete BOG December-7-2022 agenda).
Chairman Rich Lucas requested a motion to retire to executive session at 4:58 p.m. pursuant to West Virginia Code section 6-9A-4. The motion was made and passed unanimously.
At 5:39 p.m., the board returned from executive session and announced the selection of Dr. Cathy Monteroso as its choice for interim president. The motion passed unanimously with an 11 – 0 vote. (One board member was absent.)
“I am very humbled that I have been asked to serve West Liberty University as its interim president,” Monteroso said. “I am thrilled to help lead this university, which I consider positioned to thrive. I believe we are the best regional university in the state of West Virginia and we need to continue to live up to that standard.”
The appointment is effective Jan. 1, 2023 pending approval by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and will continue through June 30, 2023.
Monteroso has been at WLU for 13 years, serving first as a member of faculty, then dean of the College of Education and Human Performance and most recently serving as interim provost and vice president of Academic Affairs (since January 2022).
She earned her doctoral degree at Northcentral University, her master’s degree at Azusa Pacific University and her undergraduate degree at East Tennessee State University.
A resident of St. Clairsville, Ohio, Monteroso is married to WLU’s Football Defensive Coordinator Coach Jeff Monteroso and is the mother of two adult children, Dan and Mike, and 14-year-old Claire.
The Monterosos have one granddaughter, Mae, who is the daughter of Dan and his wife Brooke. Dan, also a WLU alumnus, plays professional basketball in the German ProA League.
Current President W. Franklin Evans’ contract expires on Dec. 31, 2022.
WLU has contracted with AGB Search to carry the professional search for its 38th President. For details on the Board of Governors, please click here. For information on the Presidential Search Committee actions, please visit westliberty.edu/news.
