President Resigns

Dr. James Netherton resigned as President of Carson-Newman College Friday, Feb. 16, and announced that he has accepted a position as Executive Vice President of Administration and Finance at Mercer University. Dr. Netherton will continue to serve at C-N until May 31, ending his tenure that began in 2000. His new duties at the Georgia school will begin October 1. The board of trustees has scheduled a special meeting March 2 to begin the process of selecting a new president. "Our search committee will be comprised of representation from the board, faculty, alumni and others," said Board of Trustees Chairman C. T. Cozart. "This board has spent several hundred hours in the past few months listening to key stakeholders of Carson-Newman College. The input and counsel we have received will be invaluable in helping us as we move forward."

The decision comes just five weeks before the board of trustees was scheduled to release its report on four-months of listening sessions aimed at responding to last fall's vote of no-confidence by the faculty.

Despite the controversy, Netherton said he has received great support from the C-N community and will miss many here on campus. "I will miss the friends I made at Carson-Newman College. I have enjoyed great support from Carson-Newman's Board, from the students and from the community in general. I am proud of the accomplishments that our faculty and staff have made in the seven years I have served as president of Carson-Newman and I believe the College is poised for great things in the future.