Has been at school since 2005
MOREHEAD, Ky. (May 13, 2016) — Following the MSU Board of Regents quarterly work session today Morehead State University President Wayne D. Andrews announced his intention to retire from the presidency effective June 30, 2017.
Andrews, a New England native who made Appalachia his adopted home, has served as the 13th president of MSU since Jan. 1, 2005. He is a graduate of Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts where he earned a B.S. degree in 1974, and of West Virginia University where he received a master’s in 1976 and a doctorate in 1977. He has served in a variety of roles, including tenured professorships, department chair, executive assistant to the president, vice president for student affairs, vice president for administration and vice president for administration and chief operating officer. He was recognized in 1993 with his selection as a Fellow of the American Council on Education (ACE).
“Sue and I have been discussing retirement with our family for the past year. After considerable thought and prayer, we believe now is the time to give the board notice of our intention to retire,” he said. “When I was selected as president in January 2005, I told the Board that I would invest all of the personal and professional energy I had into leading this great university.”
Paul C. Goodpaster, chair of the Board of Regents, recounted some of the accomplishments during Andrews’ time in leadership at MSU. He noted that Andrews’ mantra has been to “plan the work and work the plan.” The results of careful planning have yielded a clear focus on the direction that MSU is heading to become the “Best Regional University in the South.” Academically, MSU was reaccredited in 2011, and began offering its first doctoral degree program in education in 2010. Andrews was the driving force behind the establishment of The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, a dual-credit residential high school for academically exceptional Kentucky students on MSU’s main campus.
MSU has constructed three state-of-the-art education buildings during his tenure. The Center for Health, Education and Research, in conjunction with St. Claire Regional Medical Center and the University of Kentucky, houses MSU’s nursing and imaging sciences programs. The Equine Health Education Center complete with a surgical suite and a large animal veterinary clinic so students learn with the most technologically advanced equipment used in real-life situations. The Space Science Center houses MSU’s space science program, one of only five of its kind in the nation.
Student life also has significantly improved during Andrews’ presidency. MSU has refreshed six residence halls, in the process of building a new 550-bed hall on the main campus and two new residence halls at the University Farm. The wired and wireless information technology infrastructure throughout campus will be updated by fall 2016. Students will begin to enjoy a new dining hall near the residence halls in 2018, as well as a parking garage.
MSU conducted its first comprehensive capital campaign under Andrews’ leadership. The campaign goal of $25M has been exceeded by $14M to date. MSU’s endowment has grown from $19.2M in 2004 to $43M currently.
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