Fairmont, W.Va. The Fairmont State University Board of Governors has voted to approve Dr. Michael Davis’s presidential contract. The contract will now be sent to the Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) for final approval. Davis is set to begin his term as president on July 1.
“The Board would like to thank Dr. Phillips for all the work she has done over the last twelve months while serving as interim president, and we look forward to Dr. Davis taking on the role of president in July,” said Board Chairman Rusty Hutson. “We have the utmost confidence in Dr. Davis and believe his background in academia and strong sense of community and relationship building will properly serve this university.”
Dr. Dianna Phillips served as the interim president of Fairmont State University during the presidential search and has spent the last year working to make the transition to new leadership as efficient as possible for the entire campus.
“Dr. Davis and I have had regular communication and together have begun putting together a transition plan for him that will be ready to launch once he officially takes on the position of president,” said Phillips. “I want to thank the board, my executive leadership team, the senior leaders at Fairmont State University, and the Fairmont State Foundation. It has been my pleasure to serve as the Interim President.”
HEPC approval of the contract will officially end the presidential search with the help of search firm Buffkin Baker, which began in September 2022.
A committee comprised of Rusty Hutson (BOG chairman), Raymond Alvarez (faculty), Melissa Eades (faculty), Holly Fluharty (staff), Donna Trickett (staff), Ally Quigley (student), Mercedes Goff (student), Kevin Wilfong (Fairmont State Foundation), Rae Dyer (Fairmont State Foundation), Porter Stiles (Fairmont State Alumni Association), Kris Cinalli (local government representative), and Tina Shaw (local business representative). The presidential search committee was tri-chaired by board members Jennifer Kinty and Kevin Rogers and Fairmont State University Faculty Senate President Charles Shields.
Davis, a first-generation college student, was previously at James Madison University (JMU), where he served as the Chief of Staff. He managed presidential priorities and directed matters of policy of institutional importance, including strategic planning, institutional research, and accreditation.
Davis also served as a faculty member and director of debate in JMU’s School of Communication Studies.
Davis has used his 25 years of debate coaching experience to engage and leverage alumni and external grant support to elevate JMU’s Madison Debate Society to national renown.
While on the campus of JMU, Davis developed productive relationships with city and county officials, administrators at neighboring institutions, business leaders, elected officials, and statewide commissions and task forces. His community relations experience is expected to reap the same benefits in Fairmont.