T. K. Wetherell
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (March 2008) |
| T. K. Wetherell | |
 |
|
| Born | December 22, 1945 |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Bachelors, Masters, and Doctor of Philosophy |
| Alma mater | Florida State University |
| Occupation | President of Florida State University |
| Spouse | Virginia B. Wetherell |
Dr. Thomas Kent "T. K." Wetherell (December 22, 1945 - ) is a Florida educational administrator and former politician. He has been president of Florida State University (FSU) since January 6, 2003. His salary ranks among the top 10 public university presidents in the U.S.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Education
Born in Daytona Beach, Florida, Wetherell attended Port Orange Elementary School and Mainland High School. He attended FSU on a football scholarship and played from 1963 to 1967. While at Florida State, Wetherell joined the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity. He earned two academic degrees in social studies and education, in 1967 and 1968. In 1974, he received a doctorate in education administration.
[edit] Career
Wetherell served as president of Tallahassee Community College (TCC) from 1995 to 2001; before that, he was president of the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida. During his time as president of TCC, the school saw increased enrollment and a campus expansion. Wetherell also worked at Daytona Beach Community College and Florida Technological University. After he resigned from his post at TCC, Wetherell was a lobbyist for the Southern Strategy Group, where his partners include John Thrasher -- an FSU Trustee. The FSU Board of Trustees, including Thrasher, appointed Wetherell to be president on December 18, 2002. Later, one of the members of the Board of Trustees, Lee Hinkle, joined Wetherell's administration as a Vice President for University Relations. In late 2006, he added his voice to efforts by Bernie Machen, president of the University of Florida to bring a play-off to Division I A college football.[2] While President Wetherell is known nationally for his careful attention to and high profile in athletics-related matters, as FSU's President he also launched "Pathways of Excellence", a major academic initiative to hire hundreds of new faculty with a primary research emphasis on science and to help position FSU for future membership in the Association of American Universities.[3]
[edit] Politics
Dr. Wetherell, a Democrat, was a member of the Florida House of Representatives from 1980 to 1992, and Speaker of the House in 1991 and 1992. He received support from The Miami Herald.
[edit] Family
Wetherell is married to Virginia B. Wetherell, a former Florida state government official and state legislator, and has three children (one from his first marriage) and two grandchildren.
[edit] References
- ^ Fred Grimm (2007-11-13). Colleges get poor grades, leaders get rich. Miami Herald. Retrieved on 2007-12-08.
- ^ Dan Wetzel (2006-12-05). A true champion. Yahoo!. Retrieved on 2006-12-05.
- ^ FSU Pathways of Excellence.
