EWC Board of Trustees Member Receives Appointment
May 18, 2005
(Torrington, WY) Eastern Wyoming College Board of Trustees member Rob Branham has been appointed to serve on the Faculty Endowment Planning Committee which has been charged with the development of an implementation plan for the "Wyoming Excellence in Higher Education Endowment" account.
Branham had the following to say about his appointment, "I am really looking forward to serving on this committee. H.B. 122 provides the Community College system and the University with tremendous opportunities for growth. A series of public meetings being held throughout the state will provide the Committee with essential information regarding the direction and focus of our effort. Our report to the Legislature in October will reflect input from the entire state. The recruitment of top-notch faculty and the development of new programs is vital to keep our colleges and the university competitive."
Senate File 122 has established the Hathaway scholarship program and created the Faculty Endowment Planning Committee. This committee has been charged with the development of an implementation plan for the "Wyoming Excellence in Higher Education Endowment" account. The $105 million endowment was established for recruitment, retention, and support of faculty with established national and international reputations in teaching and research.
This legislation will benefit the Wyoming Community Colleges and the University of Wyoming. Each community college will use the funds to establish endowed faculty positions and to acquire instructional and resource materials, classroom equipment and other resources necessary to support the work of the endowed faculty.
These funds will also be used by the community colleges for the recruitment and retention of faculty with abilities necessary to establish or expand vocational programs and program quality benefiting communities, businesses and industries within respective service areas. Instructional opportunities available to outreach students will also benefit from the endowment.
"As president of Eastern Wyoming College, I am very pleased that EWC Trustee Rob Branham as been appointed to this important committee. Trustee Branham is an experienced, knowledgeable, and dedicated community college trustee who has an excellent understanding of the role and mission of the community college, and of the ways in which the community colleges can most effectively implement and utilize the provisions of the faculty endowment section of Senate File 122 for the benefit of the people of Wyoming," added President Jack Bottenfield.
The bill also established the make-up of the committee. The committee shall consist of two University of Wyoming trustees appointed by the president of the board of trustees, one member of the community college commission appointed by the chairman of the commission, one Wyoming community college trustee appointed by the president of the Wyoming Association of Community College Trustees, and four business and industry leaders appointed by the governor.
The membership of the Faculty Endowment Planning Committee is as follows:
- Don Bryant, commissioner, WCCC, Worland
- Rob Branham, trustee, EWC, Torrington
- Tom Spicer, trustee, UW, Rock Springs
- Warren Lauer, trustee, UW, Laramie
- Mike Sullivan, former governor, Casper
- John Wold, former congressman, Casper
- Irene Devine, former state senator, Laramie
- Carol Gonella, attorney, Jackson
