Voting is open this week for the new Faculty Regent. As Melony Shemberger, incumbent two-term Regent, is not seeking another term, four new candidates spoke during forums held by the Faculty Senate where they discussed their respective credentials and visions for the University.
The first of the candidates is David Roach, the incumbent president of the Faculty Senate. Roach, mathematics and statistics professor, recounted his past experience of his 25 years at Murray State and his time on the senate.
“The last six years (as president of the senate) have been really good for me,” Roach said. “I’ve really enjoyed working with the Faculty Senate.”
Roach said he felt pride for the implementation of a plan conducted in collaboration with Evergreen Solutions, which involved the adjustment of the salaries of the lowest-paid faculty members.
Many faculty present at the meetings expressed concern that the current pay for professors and instructors does not appropriately account for inflation and the rising cost-of-living. Roach acknowledged a survey conducted by the Faculty Senate showing that professors enjoy working at Murray State but do not feel their salaries are adequate. He said his top priorities as potential regent are compensation, representation and communication.
“My goal is to build bridges of communication,” Roach said. “I want to have conversations that are productive (and) effective.”
The second candidate, Gary ZeRuth, associate professor of cellular and molecular biology, has been at Murray State since 2014. ZeRuth said his campaign mainly focuses on three issues that he believes are most critical to the future of the institution. ZeRuth said his issues are competitive compensation for faculty, the safeguarding of academic tenure and freedom and the establishment of transparent communication that fosters trust and collaboration across the University.
“My approach is rooted in the determined and strategic commitment to addressing the fundamental challenges that we collectively face,” ZeRuth said. “I’m not afraid to stand up and fight for these principles on behalf of our faculty.”
ZeRuth acknowledged the compensation issue that many Murray State faculty members have voiced concern about in previous meetings.
“Our faculty are paid 15 to 20 percent lower than our peers at the institutions surveyed by Evergreen,” ZeRuth said. “A study performed by Deloitte just this past December said that Murray State faculty salaries were lower than 18 of the 19 benchmark institutions they surveyed—and we were at the bottom of the pack when you only allowed for assistant and associate professors.”
He cited an additional study by the American Association of University Professors that declared Murray State the lowest paid among 27 comparable institutions in a 16-state region during 2024.
“Our tragically low salaries decimate morale,” ZeRuth said. “They inhibit our ability to recruit and retain talented faculty, and they ultimately hinder our ability to provide the high quality education that our students deserve.”
The third candidate is Abdulrahman Yarali, professor of cybersecurity and network management, who has worked at Murray State for 22 years. He has several publications, received awards for research and teaching, and is the founder and president of the Kentucky Center of Academic Excellence. Yarali said he identifies himself as an advocate for fairness, faculty rights and academic integrity.
“A strong Faculty Regent is supposed to be bold, ethical, honest, consistent, patient, self-aware and humble,” Yarali said. “I mention that because I’ve been taught to practice all of this.”
Yarali said his active long-term membership of the Faculty Senate, Academic Council and University Tenure and Promotion Committee are reasons he should be considered for Faculty Regent. He said he has been an avid participant in previous meetings and frequently vocalized his opinions or posed questions, which reflects the “time and energy” he is willing to put into being a regent, which he described as “a full-time job.”
The final candidate, present at the final of the three forums held, is Brie LaJaret. LaJaret is a certified nurse practitioner and an assistant professor of nursing.
A Murray State alumni and now faculty member, she has been involved with the University for over 20 years.
LaJaret served in the Army Nurse Corps as a Captain. In addition, she said she has continued her interest in government throughout her career by serving on different governmental affairs committees in her professional organizations.
“Throughout my military nursing career, I’ve had to use the power of influence, negotiation and persuasion to convince people–mainly soldiers– to do things maybe they didn’t necessarily want to do but needed to be done in order to continue the mission,” LaJaret said. “I think that’s where my military and healthcare background provide a very good support for the position of Faculty Regent.”
Elections are open on MyGate from April 21-25.
In order to be eligible to participate in the election, voters must hold the rank of instructor, senior instructor, assistant professor, associate professor or full professor.
The elected regent will serve a three-year term beginning July 1.
