Marshall University President Brad D. Smith said upgrading the student experience from end to end is one of the top goals for his new administration.
Graduate, professional and nursing students will see variable increases in specialty program fees and all students will see increases in auxiliary and auxiliary capital fees of 4.4%, which covers services like the Memorial Student Center, athletics, TTA Big Green Machine and the university’s bike program. Additionally, residence hall students will see an average increase of about 2% in housing costs and a 4.0% increase in meal plans.
The approved overall university operating budget, almost $318 million, includes restoration of employee salary reductions for those whose salaries were reduced during the COVID pandemic, as well as general salary increases for benefit-eligible employees. The Marshall community was notified of the changes in a campus-wide e-mail earlier Thursday.
As part of the university’s overall budget, a $34.5 million athletics budget was also approved.
At the request of former student-athlete and retired NFL quarterback Chad Pennington, the board today voted to change the name of the university’s Chad Pennington Athletic Hall of Fame to the Marshall University Athletic Hall of Fame.
Pennington said he made the request because he wants attention to focus on everyone who has been inducted into the Hall of Fame since its founding in 1984.
He said, “While putting my name on the Hall of Fame was a well-intended gesture from the university, I feel like, eight years later, with a new era in Marshall Athletics and the football program, this is the right time to put the attention where it really belongs.
“It’s a galvanizing moment to step back and recognize that every student-athlete, coach and administrator in the Hall of Fame had incredible achievements and made important contributions to Marshall, and we should celebrate them as a group.
“At Marshall, we have overcome a lot of adversity and this is a way for me to be able to help bring it back to who we are together—WE are Marshall.”
Marshall Athletic Director Christian Spears said when the university is fortunate enough to receive philanthropic donations, the wishes of those contributors should be respected regarding displays.
“Chad and I discussed his meaningful gift, the impact it has had, and his decision was to make it all about Marshall,” Spears said. “It speaks volumes about Chad and the impact Marshall has had on his life.”
In the president’s report, Smith thanked the Huntington and Marshall community for the welcome he and his wife, Alys, have received in the last few months. He also reported on three areas of focus in his first few months in office including employee compensation, a broad-based listening tour and the community.
“One of the most important things we have done in these first few months is regarding pedestrian safety around our campus,” Smith said. “There is currently a road safety audit underway, but until those results are in, the speed limit will be reduced along Third and Fifth avenues.”
Smith said the details of those changes will be announced in the coming days in conjunction with the City of Huntington and Mayor Steve Williams.
Smith also noted that progress is being made on the pending Marshall University baseball stadium and that an announcement is in the works.
The board approved the addition of a Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree to allow the university to offer additional degree options for psychology majors who want to pursue graduate school in the STEM fields. Those opportunities often require different coursework than what is traditionally offered in the Bachelor of Arts degree.