Chris Wilcox
Staff writer
Corky Broughton, professor in the division of recreation and leisure services and part-time recreational vintage drag car racer, has been appointed White Residential College Faculty Head. His role will as College Head will start in the fall.
Broughton began working at Murray State in 1989 and has filled many positions over the years. He has been the Hart College Head, chair of the department of wellness and therapeutic sciences and dean of the College of Health Sciences and Human Services.
Don Robertson, vice president of Student Affairs, said he was excited to have Broughton fill the position.
“Dr. Broughton will bring a great deal of leadership and experience to the Residential College Faculty Head position,” he said.
Chhanda Islam, current White College Head, will be leaving the position at the end of the spring to return to teach full-time in the College of Education.
Broughton helped start the residential college system in 1996 and said many changes have occurred since the conception of the organization.
“The learning curve will be incredible,” he said. “I really want to get back to direct contact with students.”
He said the biggest excitement he could see with the job is the connection with students and, as an administrator, he feels the connection with students is lost. As chair and dean he only got to hear about the students’ issues, he said, and therefore was ready to get back to work with the students on the positive things.
Broughton’s goals as the new college head include designing more programs for students and hopefully bridging the gap between Regents College and White College.
Broughton said he and other administrators were looking at creating a new degree in the College of health Sciences and Human Services known as community health. He has been asked by the dean to help with the formatting of the program and to teach classes in the fall on the matter.
Before accepting the position officially he met with the current college head, secretary of the college and president of the Residential College Association. He said through the three contacts he made the decision to accept because he felt adequate programming and services were already offered. The decision was finalized for him when he realized how positively he could impact the students.
To be appointed the position he was required to submit an application and have multiple interviews. He met with many of the residential advisers, the residential director and the students who lived within White College before his application process was over.
Racquell Cunningham, sophomore from Memphis, Tenn., and residential adviser of White College, said she was excited for Broughton to join the residential college.
“He has great ideas for what to do with this college,” she said.
Broughton said after meeting with many of the residents he felt like he was a perfect fit for the college and could not wait to get started.
Contact Wilcox at cwilcox2@murraystate.edu.