May 17, 2002
Contact: Robert Lowery (509-963-1487/fax 509-963-2301/e-mail: loweryr@cwu.edu)
ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Central Washington University President Jerilyn S. McIntyre announced today that Dr. Jay Kenton, currently chief financial officer and associate vice president for finance and planning at Portland State University (PSU), will become CWU’s vice president for business and financial affairs on July 1, subject to the approval of the university’s board of trustees.
Kenton was among five finalists for the position, selected from a pool of nearly 100 applicants identified during a national search and screened by a 15-member university search committee comprised of faculty, staff, students and members of the community.
“We were very pleased with the quality of the candidates who applied for the position,” McIntyre says. “I’m delighted that Dr. Kenton will be joining our administrative team. He has a wealth of experience as a business and financial administrator and as a member of the faculty.”
Although he says he will probably take a year to acclimate himself to his new post before also taking on teaching responsibilities, Kenton acknowledges a desire to get into the classroom. He presently also serves on the PSU faculty.
“Primarily, we are here to serve the students,” he notes. “I greatly enjoy teaching and working with students. I also enjoy the collegiality of being a member of the faculty and look forward to both working alongside and serving the faculty at Central.”
While he enjoys working with students and faculty, Kenton says he also likes working with state lawmakers and governmental officials, which he has been frequently asked to do at PSU.
“On numerous occasions, I have been asked to testify on behalf of the Oregon University System in legislative budget hearings,” he adds. “In Washington, the universities have more autonomy. It’s a more competitive environment. So, I’m looking forward to trying to effectively make the case for increased revenue and resources, specifically for Central, before the legislature.”
Kenton began his career in higher education administration in 1983 at Eastern Oregon University as assistant director of business affairs/accounting coordinator. Following that, he worked at Oregon Institute of Technology, as assistant director of business affairs, before arriving at Portland State University in 1988 to become its director of business affairs.
Kenton received a bachelor of science in business administration and a master’s degree in adult and higher education from Oregon State University. He earned his Ph.D. in public administration and policy, with an emphasis in college and university finance and a minor in organization change and development at PSU.
Kenton replaces Abdul Nasser, who left CWU to become vice president for finance and administrative services at Central Michigan University. During the 2001-02 academic year, Rich Corona, associate vice president for business and financial affairs, has served as interim vice president for business and financial affairs.
“I want to express my deep appreciation to Rich Corona for his outstanding service as interim vice president,” McIntyre says.
