FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Fairmont State University’s Board of Governors voted Friday to move toward naming Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost, Dianna Phillips, as the school’s interim president.
“Over the last couple of weeks we’ve been very pleased with Dr. Phillips taking administrative responsibility for the campus, and the Board would like to enter into negotiations to ask Dr. Phillips to be our interim president with mutual terms if so willing,” Fairmont State BOG Chairman David Goldberg said in a statement.
Phillips has been than 20 years of higher education leadership experience including serving as president at Harford Community College in Bel Air, Maryland.
“As a West Virginia native and granddaughter of a coal miner, higher education has made a profound impact in my life,” Phillips said. “I am honored the Board has instilled their confidence in me to serve Fairmont State University as the interim president, and I look forward to continuing the wonderful work on campus alongside our faculty, staff and students. It takes all of us to move the University forward.”
Phillips replaces Mirta Martin after the BOG voted on May 18 to Martin’s contract early following Martin’s announcement that she wasn’t going to seek a contract extension.
Goldberg also announced Friday the BOG would begin a national search for a permanent president in September.