Murray State presidential candidate and chief administrative officer of the University of Alabama, M. Chad Tindol said colleges have no business in discrimination when asked about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Tindol was the first of four candidates to visit Murray State’s campus for an interview to succeed Bob Jackson, who will retire on June 30. Tindol was the first candidate to meet the campus community through an open forum that was held at Wrather Hall on Feb. 17.
Tindol described a situation at Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he said the state had attempted an “abolishment” of DEI by passing legislation.
“We began work at our intuition about a year before that law passed,” Tindol said. “Our focus was on what our students’ needs were regardless of race, regardless of sex, meeting them where they are and getting them what they need to advance as students.”
Tindol said the school’s effort resulted in the “most diverse class” in the history of the University of Alabama. Regardless, while the subject faces more and more political pressure, Tindol said Murray State is expected to comply with any legislation passed.
“As a public institution, we’re going to follow the law that’s passed, right?” Tindol said.
Tindol was also asked what his views were on faculty compensation in relation to peer institutions and what steps he would take to make salaries competitive to keep and attract talent.
“It has to be an active process of looking at your faculty, looking at those peer rates, and looking at how the market is.” Tindol said. “You have to stay competitive because if you don’t stay competitive then you’re going to lose the best to other institutions. As far as my attitude toward faculty compensation, I want it to be competitive and I want it to reflect the excellence of the faculty who are working at the institution.”
He also said with a good financial team and working with faculty over budgetary pressures, it could be figured out and “go forward.”
In the opening of the meeting, Tindol apologized for congregating in the middle of a power outage and inclement weather. He acknowledged the meeting taking place as the campus was closed for students.
Tindol said Murray State is the “flagship for this region,” comparing it to Alabama. Tindol also said he sees “ambition” in Murray State as he said colleges need ambition to “exist anymore,” commenting on the University’s long standing desire for a veterinarian school.
“I see, at Murray, a place that fights for its purpose,” he said.
Tindol also said Murray being a “college town” was something that reminds him of Alabama, and he “love(s) that aspect of it. I love the excitement, the energy of young people. The events, the plays, the sporting events. The energy level of a (college) town is just something different.”
“I get the sense here that I get in Tuscaloosa,” Tindol said. “The people in the town love the college, and the people in the college love the town, and that makes a difference. And, I’ve gotten old and grumpy enough in my life that I want to make choices about where I live and that’s the place where (my wife) Julie and I want to make our home.”
Alabama president, Stuart R. Bell said Tindol “is an outstanding leader whose vision, integrity and dedication have made a lasting impact at The University of Alabama.”
“His ability to navigate complex challenges with sound judgment and strategic acumen has earned him the respect of colleagues across campus and beyond,” Stuart said. “Chad is a principled administrator, a servant leader and a steadfast advocate for students and higher education. His unwavering commitment to excellence and deep understanding of institutional leadership make him exceptionally well-suited for this role. Murray State would be fortunate to have him at the helm.”
The next town hall meeting for a presidential candidate was held on Feb. 24. Candidate Diana L. Rogers-Adkinson, vice chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs and chief academic officer for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, answered questions at 3:30 p.m. in Wrather hall. Story to come.
