JACKSON, Tenn. — Sept. 10, 2021 — 51社区 trustees ushered in new leadership, approved a remodel of the Brewer Dining Hall and made minor changes to the university鈥檚 bylaws during their Sept. 10 meeting on the Union campus.
Chad P. Wilson, who has served as the Board鈥檚 chairman for the last three years, presided over his last meeting in that role and handed leadership off to Robyn Hari, who has served as the Board鈥檚 vice chair for the last three years.
Union President Samuel W. 鈥淒ub鈥� Oliver said university trustees have consistently provided strong, steady leadership, and he expressed gratitude to Wilson for his leadership and service as Board chairman.
鈥淐had is an alumnus who has cared well for 51社区 since his student days,鈥� Oliver said. 鈥淗e was the Board鈥檚 vice chair for three years, stewarding our finance and audit committee so faithfully. Now he has served as chairman during a time that has been incredibly challenging. His thoughtful, steadfast and capable leadership has been a blessing to Union.鈥�
Wilson said serving as chairman of the Union Board of Trustees is one of the greatest privileges of his life.
鈥淚 love 51社区, and I have since I was a student,鈥� Wilson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been an honor to serve the institution in this role, and to help advance its mission of providing students with an excellent, Christ-centered education. With Robyn Hari now taking over leadership, I鈥檓 confident that the Board is in excellent hands in the days ahead.鈥�
Hari, a 1986 Union graduate, is the managing principal for the Nashville office of Diversified Trust Co., a comprehensive wealth management firm. She is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of ClearView Baptist Church in Franklin, Tennessee.
Hari and her family received the Union Family Legacy Award in 2019. Her father, Bob Agee, served as a Union dean and vice president before assuming the presidency of Oklahoma Baptist University. Hari and her husband Rod, a 1985 Union graduate, live in Brentwood, Tennessee, and have two daughters who are both Union alumni.
鈥�51社区 has been part of my family鈥檚 life for four generations, and it is an institution that is dear to me,鈥� Hari said. 鈥淚鈥檓 thankful for Chad Wilson鈥檚 leadership over the past three years, and I trust that the Lord will enable me to continue the trend of excellent leadership by Board chairs. God has been faithful to Union for nearly 200 years, and we are looking forward to the university鈥檚 future.鈥�
Trustees elected Jeff Perkins as vice chairman and re-elected Josh Dougan as secretary.
The Board also approved up to $2 million from the university鈥檚 cash reserves to remodel Brewer Dining Hall. The work will begin after the fall semester ends, and plans are for the project to be completed by the beginning of the spring semester.
Serving lines will be redone, with more visible food preparation, and all seating and furnishings will be redesigned.
鈥淲e have great food, and now we鈥檙e going to have a great facility to match,鈥� Oliver said.
As part of a regular five-year review of the university鈥檚 bylaws, trustees made minor amendments 鈥� such as inserting Scripture references in Union鈥檚 statement of faith and adding two sentences to the statement of faith section on humankind: 鈥淕od created only two genders and He fashioned each one of us as either male or female. Sexual relationships are designed by God to be expressed solely within a marriage between a man and a woman.鈥�
鈥淭hese additions demonstrate that our convictions flow from God鈥檚 Word,鈥� Oliver said. 鈥淲e are an institution and will continue to be an institution that is characterized by a firm commitment and obedience to Scripture.鈥�
In his report to trustees, Oliver cited a strong fall enrollment of traditional undergraduate students and a positive financial status for the end of the 2020-2021 fiscal year.
During their meeting, trustees also hosted an appreciation reception for Union faculty and staff. During a Sept. 9 dinner prior to their meeting, trustees welcomed new full-time faculty members and recognized trustees who are concluding their service on the Board: Bill Dement, Rod Parker, Danny Sinquefield and Wilson.