In its quarterly meeting, the Murray State Board of Regents voted Friday to appoint a new dean for the yet-to-be finalized School of Veterinary Medicine and provided updates for construction on campus.
Vet School dean appointment, pending approval
The board appointed Dr. Laura Ken Hoffman – head of the university’s veterinary technology and pre-veterinary medicine programs – as dean of the unfinalized School of Veterinary Medicine. Murray State is aiming to launch the Commonwealth’s first veterinary school.
“Dr Hoffman is an amazing choice,” said Dr. Brian Parr, dean of the Hutson School of Agriculture. “[She] has been involved in these conversations from the get-go, [and] has met regularly with our consultant and with our design team for the building.”
The appointment would be effective Jan. 6, 2026, but is contingent on the Council of Postsecondary Education’s (CPE) approval of a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program at Murray State University. Jordan Smith, Assistant Vice President of Public Affairs said a decision from the CPE is expected by November.
Murray State has only recently been able to apply for a DVM program thanks to the passing of Kentucky Senate Bill 77. That measure, which passed earlier this year, allows comprehensive universities like MSU to submit proposals for new doctoral programs.
According to a presentation to the board from assistant vice president of facilities management Jason Youngblood, construction on the veterinary school building is currently planned to take place from February 2026 through October 2027.
Campus construction updates
There have been various external and internal refreshes across campus, with several buildings receiving new HVAC systems. Due to ongoing construction, parking reconfiguration is expected to occur by Tuesday to define pedestrian pathways with barriers and directional signs to change traffic flow around the Nursing Building, Faculty Hall and the Blackburn Science Building. These paths will be altered through the fall semester.
“It’s been really dangerous for [students] to be walking at times, so we have a need to really define a better pedestrian pathway to keep them safe and [still give] our contractors access,” Youngblood said.
New contracts have also been awarded for window replacements in Blackburn and Wrather Hall, with the latter to receive additional exterior improvements such as door replacements and mortar repair.
Jackson Hall, the new nursing building underway named after former Murray State President Bob Jackson and his wife Karen Jackson, is expected to be complete by Fall 2026.
Other business
- A proposed 5-year operational lease agreement of 24 new fleet vehicles was approved, the cost of which is not to exceed $210,000 annually (including management costs). Twenty-four vehicles– used by the facilities, IT and police departments– are aging out and will be replaced. Twenty-nine vehicles will be disposed of as the new replacement lease vehicles are delivered.
- Employment extension contracts were approved for Head Women’s Tennis Coach Jorge Caetano and Assistant Baseball Coach Steve Adkins.
- In recognition of a $1 million contribution from the estate of Murray State alums Jim and Sue Cash, the board approved the naming of the Jim and Sue Cash Baseball Clubhouse. The new clubhouse will provide baseball student athletes with locker rooms, meeting spaces, a players lounge and team support areas.
- Following a contribution from the Murray Bank, the board also approved the naming of the new Murray Bank Baseball Videoboard.
- The board accepted the gift of a large inventory of fabric and other materials valued at $15,488 from the Murray Sewing Center to the woodshop and Departments of Global Languages and Theatre Arts and Art and Design.
The full board of regents meeting can be streamed on YouTube.
