WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., April 15, 2015 — The names of those serving on the West Liberty University Presidential Search Committee were approved today at a 4 p.m. Board of Governors meeting held in historic Shaw Hall.

Chairman of the Board of Governors George Couch named the members of the WLU community who will lead the search for the 35^th president, which were then approved by the entire Board of Governors.

“These members are tasked with the important role of selecting the best candidates to present to campus for interviews and discussion. We welcome their input and thank them for agreeing to serve on this advisory committee,” said Chairman Couch. “Finding the right person to lead West Liberty University into the future will be an exciting and transparent task. We are confident that this committee will result in a successful process.”

The search committee includes representatives from the faculty, alumni, staff, and student body, along with some members of the WLU Foundation Board and all members of the Board of Governors.

It was created in accordance with the steps described in the WLU Board of Governors Presidential Search and Selection policy, last reviewed and revised in January 2012. The committee makeup and process also follow the guidelines set by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission Title 133, Series 5.

The 21 members of the 2015 Presidential Search Committee are:

• Student Government President Evan Newman, New Martinsville, W.Va.
• Student Government President Elect Allyson Ashworth, Hamlin, W.Va.
• Alumnus Jim Frum, retired audiologist from Wheeling.
• Alumnus Jay Duffy, president of Duffy Consulting, McMurray, Pa.
• Foundation Board Chairman Rich Lucas, CEO of Main Street Bank, Wheeling.
• Foundation Board representative Tom Reinbold, retired sales director from Surprise, Ariz.
• Classified Staff representative Katie Cooper, Director of Financial Aid.
• Non-Classified Staff representative Scott Cook, Dean of Enrollment & Student Services/Registrar.
• Faculty Member Linda Cowan, chair of the Faculty Senate.
• Couch, a healthcare leader from Wheeling who has served on the Board of Governors since 2010 and has been chairman since July 2014.
• Patrick D. Kelly, CEO, West Virginia Health Care Association, Charleston, W.Va. and Board of Governor.
• Sandra M. Chapman, attorney with Casey and Chapman, PLLC, Wheeling, and Board of Governor.
• Joseph W. Carey, CEO, Carey Strategic Communications, New York, N.Y. and Board of Governor.
• Richard Carter, retired business leader from Wheeling and Board of Governor.
• Leslie DeFelice, CEO of Visiting Angels, Wheeling and Board of Governor.
• Patrick Ford, Executive Director of the Business Development Corporation of the Northern Panhandle (Weirton) and Board of Governor.
• Brian E. Joseph, CEO of Touchstone Research Laboratory, Triadelphia and Board of Governor.
• Ann Thomas, retired school nurse from Wheeling and Board of Governor.
• An additional classified staff, and an additional faculty representative will be selected in the next few weeks once the annual elections of classified staff and faculty Board of Governor members are complete for the 2015 – 2016 academic year.
• An additional member, representing the Deans Council, also will be determined soon.

Couch also announced the date of the search committee’s first meeting, which is 4 p.m., April 28, 2015, in Shaw Hall.

It is anticipated that finalist candidates would be on campus in late summer or fall to meet campus constituents, with the final objective being a new president on campus by Jan. 1, 2016, according to Couch.

On March 11, 2015, the West Liberty University Board of Governors accepted the resignation of former President Robin C. Capehart and longtime former professor and administrator Dr. John McCullough was appointed interim president.

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