Kentucky State University President Raymond Burse resigned Monday after serving in the position as interim and permanent president for two years, reported Fox News. The resignation was accepted by KSU Board of Regents, who called on Burse to return to the black college to help put KSU back in good standing, or better.
According to The Courier-Journal, Burse first served as president at Kentucky State from 1982 to 1989. “When I answered the call to serve as interim president two years ago, I did so with the understanding that my job was to put KSU on solid footing so that the school would not shutter. Under my leadership, KSU is back on the path to excellence,” Burse said in a statement, according to the university.
He added, “It has been a tremendous honor serving KSU, a school I love so much, as well as serving our faculty and staff, and most importantly, our students. … At this juncture, I have decided that the further demands and challenges of Kentucky State must be undertaken by new leadership.”
In late 2014, Burse chose to give “$90,000 of his presidential salary to boost the wages of university workers,” and some say he did an excellent job given the challenges KSU, and many other black colleges in the country faces today. Kentucky State Vice President for Academic Affairs Candice Jackson will now serve as acting president until a new leader is found.
The attorney for the Board William Johnson said they will meet May 31 to discuss a national search for the school’s next president.
