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South Carolina State trustees voted unanimously Friday to name Dr. George E. Cooper as the university’s 10th president.
Cooper, deputy administrator for science and education resources development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was chosen during the board’s annual retreat in Charleston.
The vote came following an hour-and-a-half executive session. Cooper was nominated by Dr. John Corbitt, the trustee who will take over as board vice chairman on July 1. Lumus Byrd, chairman-elect, seconded the motion.
"This is a great day in the history of S.C. State University," S.C. State Board Chairman Maurice Washington said.
Washington cited Cooper’s familiarity with the land-grant institution as a plus in the selection. Other positives included Cooper’s management background and higher education experience, he said.
"He connected with the search committee, the campus and the board," Washington said.
"I am honored to be selected as the 10th president of S.C. State University," Cooper said via a university press release. "I look forward to working with the board of trustees, administration, faculty, staff, students, alumni and stakeholders as we, together, move toward academic excellence. It is my intent to establish a creative and participatory campus environment as we embark on defining S.C. State’s future. Again, I am honored and excited about the transition from Washington to Orangeburg and to S.C. State University."
Cooper will take over the presidency on July 1, with Interim President Dr. Leonard McIntyre remaining in his role until then. McIntyre will assist Cooper during the transition period.
Washington praised the search committee’s efforts during the six-month selection process. "I am happy. We came through multiple storms to arrive at this day."
The chairman also praised McIntyre, saying he led the university from a period of negative press to more positive times. He also developed an enrollment-management plan, Washington said. "He made the university attractive."
McIntyre said he was charged with preparing the university for a new president. "I worked very hard to make that happen. I think that we answered the charge in exemplary fashion," he said.
While it is not yet defined how he will assist the new president, McIntyre said, "I am committed to doing what it takes to ensure that the new president has a smooth entry into the university. He certainly will have my full support."
"It has been a very rewarding experience. I am very grateful to the board and the university for allowing me to serve in this critical role," McIntyre said.
Cooper was selected as president from among three finalists, getting the nod over Dr. Johnson O. Akinleye, associate vice chancellor for academic programs at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, and Dr. Juanita P. Fain, vice president for planning at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. The three finalists were selected from among 42 applicants.
The new president will replace former S.C. State president Dr. Andrew Hugine. The board decided not to renew Hugine’s contract last December and placed him on administrative leave after reviewing his performance on two evaluations. The board then tapped McIntyre as interim president.
S.C. State National Alumni Association President Patricia Lott labeled Cooper as cordial and outgoing. She called on the university community to work in unison with Cooper as he assumes the presidency.
"We need to embrace the newly elected president so we can begin the healing process so that our university can move forward," Lott said.
Cooper started his career at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1991 after more than two decades in academics. He has said that experience will allow him to lead S.C. State from day one.
"My experiences may allow us to shortcut some of the challenges facing the university," Cooper said during his visit to the university in May. He said those challenges include recruiting students, expanding research and getting additional state funding.
Cooper’s agency at the USDA is responsible for distributing more than $145 million each year to a broad range of activities for minority colleges and universities.
He said there would be two mandates for him as S.C. State’s president. The first is accountability and the other is preparing students to be successful locally, nationally and globally, Cooper said.
To make the university more attractive to potential students, Cooper said he would look at all of S.C. State’s academic programs to assess their relevancy.
Cooper also said he wants to engage state legislators about the importance of fully funding the institution.
He received his doctorate in animal nutrition from the University of Illinois and received a master’s degree from Tuskegee University.
Previously, he was vice president of academic affairs at Alabama A&M University. He also served as a professor and dean at Tuskegee University.
"Again, I sincerely thank each and every member of S.C. State’s Presidential Search Committee as well as the members of the S.C. State Board of Trustees for their commitment, dedication and professionalism," Washington said in the university press release. "I sincerely thank those persons who assisted in making this very important decision in the history of S.C. State, especially those who were fully engaged in the process from the beginning through today’s announcement."
Academic Search Inc., an international search firm, led the search process.
"From the onset, we, the board, charged the search committee and ourselves with being above board, and without exception, we have done that. Since January 2008, our mission throughout this very serious process was to ensure that the search for our next president was fair and open but most importantly, transparent. We wanted to make sure that everyone with a sincere interest in S.C. State was informed as we proceeded to identify and now finally appoint the next leader of our great Institution. As I will continue to say, our future is brighter than our past," Washington said.
A formal introduction of Cooper will be held on the campus of S.C. State next week.
T&D Staff Writer Lee Tant can be reached by e-mail at ltant@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-534-1060.