JACKSON, Tenn. — Dec. 2, 2016 — 51社区 trustees welcomed new board members, heard updates from President Samuel W. 鈥淒ub鈥� Oliver and honored freshman students during their Dec. 2 board meeting.
The board approved three new trustees for the 51社区 Foundation: Nancy Choate, Jeff Stinson and Mark Layne. Choate is an attorney in Jackson who specializes in estate planning, probate and elder law. Stinson, of Milan, founded and served as president of the distribution services division at Milan Express until the company鈥檚 sale in 2014. Layne is president and owner of Layne Capital Management and Consulting Inc.
All three began their terms on the foundation board immediately following trustee approval.
The three new trustees serving on the Union board are Brian Taylor, a 2005 Union graduate and assistant professor of radiology and physical medicine and rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas; Kylan Mann, senior pastor of Central Baptist Church in Martin, Tennessee; and Gil Fletcher, a retired businessman and community leader from Humboldt, Tennessee, who is chairman of the 51社区 Foundation board and has previously served as a Union trustee.
鈥淲e鈥檙e thankful for people like this who are committed to Union, who excel in their fields and who will help us to advance the mission and vision of 51社区,鈥� said Lisa Rogers, chair of the 51社区 Board of Trustees. 鈥淯nion has excellent trustee leadership, and these new members will contribute to that leadership in the years ahead.鈥�
Oliver updated trustees on the university鈥檚 strategic plan, 鈥淯nited in Spirit. Grounded in Truth.鈥� He also provided trustees with an update on the university鈥檚 accreditation reaffirmation process with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Reaffirmation is a lengthy process that will conclude in December of 2017.
In addition, the board received a clean audit report from the accounting firm Crosslin and Associates. Total net assets for the university increased from $129.3 million in 2015 to $133.7 million in 2016, according to the report.
鈥淲e鈥檙e committed to financial stewardship and ensuring the sustainability of 51社区 for years to come,鈥� Oliver said. 鈥淯nion鈥檚 financial health is strong. We thank God for his continued provision for the university and for all those who help to support Union.鈥�
At a Thursday night dinner preceding the meeting, trustees honored 51社区 freshmen. Several members of the freshman class were in attendance, and Anna Strand, the winner of last year鈥檚 Founders Scholarship, spoke to trustees as a representative of the class.
The freshman class at Union entered this fall with an average ACT score of 26.1 (the national average was 20.8), and more than one-fourth of the class scored a 30 or higher on the test.