TBR Approves David Rudd as U of M President, Kelli Kea-Carroll as TCAT-Hohenwald Director

TBR Approves David Rudd as U of M President,  Kelli Kea-Carroll as TCAT-Hohenwald Director  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 1, 2014) – The Tennessee Board of Regents approved M. David Rudd as the next president for the University of Memphis and Kelli Kea-Carroll as the director of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Hohenwald today. Rudd will assume his leadership role May 16, following interim president R. Brad Martin, a U of M alumnus and business executive, who led the campus since July 2013 after the retirement of former president Shirley Raines. Rudd becomes the university’s 12th president. Kea-Carroll takes over as director immediately following the Board vote. The Board met via telephone at 2:45 this afternoon to consider TBR Chancellor John Morgan’s recommendation for Rudd, who had served as the U of M provost, and Kea-Carroll, who had been the assistant director and interim director at the TCAT. Rudd was selected after an extensive nationwide search that began last December. He has served the U of M as provost since last March. His prior experience was at the University of Utah as a dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Science, and at Texas Tech University, where he was professor and chair of the Department of Psychology. He held a similar position at Baylor University. His complete résumé is available at http://tinyurl.com/TBRRudd. He expressed his distinct honor in being selected and commented on the pressures and challenges of higher education institutions face today. “We have weathered the challenge with innovative spirit, creative minds, passionate hearts, entrepreneurial drive, and an unparalleled tenacity to succeed,” Rudd said. “We’ve emerged stronger. We are remarkably well positioned for future growth. We are better able to meet the needs of our students, which is core to our mission. We are better able to meet the needs of the city of Memphis, the state of Tennessee, and I would tell you even the nation. I am extremely optimistic and supremely confident about our future.” Kea-Carroll has been with the college since 1994, when she supervised the practical nursing and surgical technology programs. She also coordinated recruitment and orientation efforts, as well as counseled students on a variety of issues. In 2002, she became the assistant director. In that role, she led efforts to open six off-campus teaching locations, developed strategic plans for the institution and was involved in planning, organizing and directing instructional programs at all campuses. Her full resume is available at http://tinyurl.com/nycu72n.   “It is with great regard for the Tennessee College of Applied Technology that I will graciously serve as the director of the college at Hohenwald,” said Kea-Carroll. “I believe with our faculty and staff and leadership that we will undoubtedly be able to continue to flourish as a premier technical college and participate in the Drive to 55.” The TBR is among the nation’s largest higher education systems, governing 46 post-secondary educational institutions, including the U of M.  The TBR system includes six universities, 13 community colleges and 27 colleges of applied technology, providing programs to more than 200,000 students across the state.