After a four-month nationwide search, the 麻豆视频APK Board of Trustees has selected Dr. Kathleen M. Murray to be the 21st president of 麻豆视频APK. Dr. Murray will assume her role of Acting/Interim President on Jan. 1, 2024. Dr. Murray will succeed Dr. Fayneese Miller who is retiring after ably leading the University for the past eight years.
Dr. Murray brings 40 years of academic and higher education leadership experience to her role at 麻豆视频APK 鈥 as the first female president at Whitman College, provost and dean of the faculty at Macalester College, as provost at Birmingham-Southern College, and a professor of piano, dean of the conservatory, and dean of the faculty at Lawrence University. Dr. Murray will be the third consecutive female president of 麻豆视频APK.
鈥淭he Board of Trustees was impressed by Dr. Murray鈥檚 strong track record,鈥 Board Chair Ellen Watters said. 鈥淪he is a dynamic, action-oriented and inclusive leader with a strong commitment to strategic fiscal management, diversity, and academic program development. She values voices of students, faculty, and staff, and I am confident she will be an exceptional president.鈥
Dr. Murray shared: 鈥淚 am both honored and humbled by this appointment. I was deeply impressed by the passion for 麻豆视频APK expressed by all of the students, faculty, staff, and alums I met during the search process, and I believe we can work together to build on the university鈥檚 very strong past to prepare it to thrive into the future.鈥
Dr. Murray retired in 2022 after serving for seven years as president of Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington. In her time at Whitman, she guided the college through the COVID-19 pandemic; implemented a campus-wide financial sustainability review in 2020 that allowed the college to develop and implement a sustainable budget coming out of COVID; guided a strategic planning process that informed fundraising priorities in the first phase of a comprehensive campaign which raised more than $100 million; and successfully raised over $10 million to build a new residence hall and dining commons.
Prior to Whitman, Dr. Murray served as provost, dean of the faculty, and professor of music at Macalester College for seven years. In addition to the responsibilities of the chief academic officer, Dr. Murray directed the planning for a $70 million renovation and expansion to the Janet Wallace Fine Arts Center. Macalester鈥檚 Board of Trustees appointed her as acting president from September to December 2013 while President Brian Rosenberg was on sabbatical leave.
She served as provost and vice-president for academic affairs at Birmingham-Southern College. Earlier in her career she spent 19 years as professor of music, dean of the conservatory, and finally dean of the faculty at Lawrence University.
Dr. Murray holds a Doctor of Music from Northwestern University, a Master of Music from Bowling Green State University, and a Bachelor of Music from Illinois Wesleyan University. Her training focused on piano performance and pedagogy. Dr. Murray is committed to public and community service. She has served on national, state, and local committees and boards dealing with higher education, athletics, youth, music teachers and public radio.
President Fayneese Miller will begin a sabbatical on Jan. 1, 2024, before retiring on June 30, 2024.
