Posted on Dec 1, 2006

Dr. Randy Dunn, Murray State University’s new president, was officially welcomed to campus, and his first day at the helm of MSU, at a 9 a.m. news conference today. He comes to campus after being selected as the university’s 11th president on May 11. Although his arrival on campus was delayed by a commitment to complete his work as state superintendent of education for the Illinois State Board of Education, Dunn is fast making up time. Upon his selection as MSU president, Dunn said, “Murray State is a jewel in the crown for Kentucky higher education … we will tell that story.” Slightly more than six months later, a glance at the schedule for his first days in Murray bears out his intention to do just that. “ It’s important to me to hit the ground running,” said Dunn. “We have many initiatives we hope to put in place and I want to take advantage of this feeling of anticipation at the university to get them underway.” His early activities reflect his dedication to these values as he makes himself familiar with individuals and organizations in Murray, western Kentucky and the state. Dunn’s plans for his first week in office include speaking at a breakfast meeting of the Paducah Chamber of Commerce, followed by a discussion with the Paducah Economic Development Group on Thursday, Dec. 7. He will return to Murray that day in time to speak to the Murray Rotary Club at lunch and host an afternoon campus-wide holiday reception. The reception will offer him an opportunity to meet MSU students, faculty and staff in a relaxed setting. He plans to address the holiday gathering, which will run from 3-5 p.m., at 3:30 p.m. The reception will be held in Pogue Library. Aware of the important connection between the town and the university, Dunn also plans to host a holiday reception during the hours of 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 21, for the Murray community in his new home, Oakhurst. Dunn will continue to build on the town/gown relationship when he attends his first Murray City Council meeting on Thursday, Dec. 14 — a meeting that will acquaint him with city leaders and community issues. “I’ve had several opportunities already to meet campus and community leaders and everyone has been so welcoming and that has helped me to feel at home,” Dunn noted. “I look forward to getting to know many more folks as I settle into the office and take up residence at Oakhurst.” Dunn will also meet with school superintendents during the West Kentucky Educational Cooperative conference to be held in the Curris Center on campus on Jan. 8-9. The conference will focus on legal issues and features several prominent Kentucky attorneys who specialize in school law. Other opportunities for MSU’s new president to meet with groups outside of the university include a Jan. 19 meeting with OVC presidents in Nashville and a Jan. 24 breakfast with the Mayfield/Graves County Chamber of Commerce. During his time as president-elect of MSU, Dunn began travels around the region, throughout Kentucky and to the nation’s capital in Washington, D.C., familiarizing himself with issues that affect Murray State University. “I’ve said before that I think it’s presumptuous as a new president to come into a university such as Murray State — with its rich history, vibrant tradition, and prominence throughout the region and the nation — and say ‘here’s what I think needs to happen’ or ‘here’s a set of goals,’” Dunn said, noting that “the president is really a steward for helping the university move forward.” With that in mind, Dunn plans to continue his series of visits with various constituencies of the university, both external and internal. On Dec. 19, he will share in a campus visit of the Western Kentucky Legislative Leadership caucus. Legislative priorities, along with other matters, will be discussed. The event will serve as an introduction for Dunn and key legislators throughout western Kentucky. Dunn pledged to visit each community college in Kentucky, a strategy he has already begun with visits to Hopkinsville Community College, Madisonville Community College, West Kentucky Community and Technical College in Paducah and Henderson Community College. “While service delivery is to be targeted to our 18-county region,” he noted, “we will recruit vigorously throughout the commonwealth at both community colleges and high schools.” In addition, Dunn said he would make himself available to editorial boards from the 18-county region, as well as others in Kentucky, with the hope that he will be able to write an occasional column. “The university faces a number of challenges, just as all colleges across the nation do,” Dunn said. “I will have ongoing conversations over lunch with a wide range of groups across the campus, such as new faculty, international students, department chairs and more, to learn about the campus and its challenges from various perspectives. “Early on, I also plan to attend as many meetings as possible with the three standing constituency groups on campus — the Student Government Association, the Faculty Senate and Staff Congress,” he said. “I also will take advantage of opportunities to speak with students by dining frequently in Winslow, exercising at the student wellness center and being present at numerous campus activities. “I want to build relationships on campus, with the community, and throughout the region and state, as well as in Washington, D.C., over the months and years to come,” Dunn noted. “I believe that by working together, we can take Murray State University from where it is now in its priorities and implementation, and go from there.”