Board of Trustees Approves Faculty Promotions

During their spring meeting on the Shawnee campus May 15, the OBU Board of Trustees approved faculty promotions and contracts, approved conferral of the rank of professor emeritus on two retired faculty members and participated in the OBU Spring Commencement Ceremony.

In his report to the board, Dr. David Whitlock, OBU president, told trustees of progress being made on two major construction projects on campus. The fourth building in the residential village will be completed in time for the fall semester and will house 162 male students in suite-style rooms. Jane E. and Nick K. Stavros Hall is scheduled to open for classes in January 2016 as the new home of the OBU College of Nursing.

He also reported a recent $200,000 donation to help fund the rebuild of the Wood Science Building. The rebuild is one of the fundraising priorities for OBU's Vision for a New Century Capital Campaign. Plans for the rebuild include a 15,000 square foot expansion to add laboratories for organic and physical chemistry and biology, along with significant updates to the existing facility.

The board approved promotions for four faculty members. Dr. Alan Bandy was promoted from assistant professor to associate professor of New Testament. Corey Fuller was promoted from assistant professor to associate professor of graphic arts. Dr. Ben Myers was promoted from associate professor to professor of literature. Dr. Scott Pace was promoted from assistant professor to associate professor of applied ministry.

Board members also approved contracts for six new faculty members. New faculty include Quinn Wooldridge, instructor of kinesiology and leisure studies, and head men's basketball coach; Dr. Mary Dickey, assistant professor of nursing; Dr. Hyunju Ban, associate professor of mathematics; Dr. Matthew Emerson, assistant professor of religion; Jonathan Callis, assistant professor of English, and Elizabeth Justice, assistant professor of teacher education.

The board approved the conferral of the rank of professor emeritus for two retired professors including Dr. Ronda Guest Hall, retired professor of Spanish, and Anne Hammond, retired associate professor of English.

Trustees also attended OBU's Spring Commencement ceremony where 301 graduates received their diplomas. Barbara Green, co-founder of Hobby Lobby, delivered the commencement address to an overflow crowd in Raley Chapel's Potter Auditorium.

Jarrod Frie, chair of OBU's 31-member board of trustees, moderated the board's plenary session. Frie is President / Partner at Biomaterials of Oklahoma.