WVU-P prof to become WVSC&TC prez

This article originally appeared in the June 6 edition of the Charleston Gazette, and is reprinted with permission.

By Veronica Nett, Staff writer

Joseph L. Badgley, a dean and professor at West Virginia University-Parkersburg, was selected Thursday as West Virginia State Community and Technical College's next president.

The school's Board of Governors appointed Badgley, an education professor and executive dean of academic affairs at WVU-P.

Board members met behind closed doors for nearly two hours Thursday afternoon to discuss the appointment.

Badgley will replace Erwin Griffin, who left the community college in 2006 to accept a position as president of Halifax Community College in North Carolina. Ron Bartely had served as interim president but left the college to accept a position as president of Northeastern Technical College in South Carolina.

The current interim president is Kathy D'Antoni, vice-chancellor of West Virginia's community and technical college system. She urged board members Thursday to continue to bridge the gap between the community college and the university.

She also thanked the board for the opportunity to serve as interim president. "I've truly enjoyed my stay here," she said.

Badgley brings 37 years of academic experience to the community college. He has served as academic dean at WVU-P since 2000, and has also served as interim president of the Parkersburg school.

He has a bachelor's degree in education from Glenville State College and master's and doctorate degrees from West Virginia University.

The board will negotiate Badgley's salary at a later date.

Board members also approved WVSU President Hazo W. Carter's four-year evaluation and a 3 percent pay increase to the president's salary. Board members discussed the review and the pay increase in executive session.

N.C. alone in college hiring secrecy

It should be noted that former Vice-President for Academic Affairs Arnold Cooper accepted an administrative position at the University of North Carolina in early 2006, and former Community and Technical College President Ervin V. Griffin became president at Halifax Community College in Weldon, N.C. in December 2006. Also, Valentine James, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Studies at Fayetteville State University, and Aaron Horne, a retired dean of students at Winston-Salem State University, are candidates for State's academic affairs VP, which has been vacant since Cooper's departure.

By Corey G. Johnson, staff writer

Fayetteville, N.C.- North Carolina is the only state in the nation that selects the top leaders of all its public universities in secret.

In 49 other states, the names of the finalists for university president or chancellor positions are made public, a Fayetteville Observer study shows. Six states release the names of all applicants.

A few states have no single governing policy, according to the survey of 118 university systems or individual schools. Some universities in those states close the process, but at least one school or university system in every state, except North Carolina, selects leaders in public.

For more on this article, go to the Fayetteville Observer.