After serving four terms on Murray State’s Board of Regents, having been appointed and reappointed to the position by three different Kentucky governors, Marilyn Buchanon will no longer be a Regent.
Buchanon began her first term in 1992, and is one of the longest-standing members of the board in its history, and began serving before limits were placed on the number of terms a member may serve.
She served 19 years on the board, a culmination of one one-year term and three six-year terms, with her final term coming to an end June 30 of this year.
Buchanon said serving on the board for so long and getting to watch and contribute to Murray State transforming into the school it is today has been a wonderful experience.
Being a University alumna, she said she has been glad for the opportunity to give back to the University which helped shape the person she is today.
“I certainly plan to stay connected with Murray State in whatever way anybody deems necessary,” she said. “For now, I will continue to watch Murray State grow, watch the graduation and enrollment rates continue to climb and, of course, make sure to follow and support the Racers in all sports.”
Buchanon said it had always been her desire to serve on the Board of Regents at some point in her life and that she has been fortunate in the amount of time she has had in this capacity.
The biggest and one of the most important changes she has seen in Murray State during her time on the Board of Regents, she said, is the physical change the University has undergone since her time here, courtesy of several building projects launched in the late 90s.
Buchanon said the most important thing to the board’s success is it being on the same page as the president and working toward the same goals.
“My favorite years were when it was that way and when no one had a private agenda,” she said. “When all anybody cared about is the betterment of Murray State.”
The job of the Board of Regents is to hire and also to be supportive of the president as long as they act in the best interest of the University. Buchanon said she is confident she is leaving the future of Murray State in competent hands.
Renee Fister, Faculty Regent, said Buchanon’s experience serving on several boards provided insights into a variety of issues.
“I have only had the opportunity to serve with Mrs. Buchanon on the board for one year,” Fister said. “Within that year, she has reached out to welcome me to the board, has been forthright in her opinions and has been a wealth of knowledge, especially in regards to buildings and grounds.”
Gov. Steve Beshear will be in charge of appointing a new Board of Regents member, a decision in which the current Regents have no say.
Buchanon said she hopes the person who is appointed is not only someone who has attended Murray State and who has a history of giving to the University, but one who has a deep love for this institution.
Story by Ben Manhanke, Staff writer