Raymond M. Burse resigns

Raymond M. Burse resigns

Posted on May 23, 2016

Please see the attached statement from Kentucky State University. Dr. Candice Love Jackson will be the Acting President until further notice.

Raymond Burse to resign as Kentucky State University president

The thorobred legend has served as president during two tenures

Below is a statement from President Raymond M. Burse.

It has been a tremendous honor serving KSU, a school I love so much, as well as serving our faculty and staff, and most importantly, our students.

As a university president, I had the honor of meeting and preparing our state and world’s future leaders – in nursing, education, agriculture-related fields, law, the arts, public administration and politics. For me, that job was an extremely personal one, having seen my own life changed forever through the power of obtaining an education.

I am extremely proud of what has been accomplished here the past two years and of knowing that KSU is on an upward trajectory.

When I answered the call to serve as interim president two years ago, I did so with the understanding that my job was to put KSU on solid footing so that the school would not shutter. Under my leadership, KSU is back on the path to excellence.

At this juncture, I have decided that the further demands and challenges of Kentucky State must be undertaken by new leadership. I have come to this conclusion after nearly six months of personal assessments and evaluations, which has resulted in my resignation as president, effective May 27, 2016.

I look forward to returning to Louisville and spending more time with my wife Kim and family.

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About Raymond M. Burse

Mr. Raymond M. Burse, a Hopkinsville, Kentucky native and Harvard-educated lawyer served as the 9th and 14th president of Kentucky State University.

During his first tenure, his main responsibility was implementing the components of Kentucky’s new federally mandated desegregation plan. Mr. Burse oversaw the school’s record enrollment, over $60,000,000 in capital improvements and significant enhancements in the academic and financial operations of the institution including opening the Whitney M. Young College of Leadership Studies. During his second tenure, he successfully argued against across-the-board state funding budget cuts for KSU and set the school on sounder financial footing.

Mr. Burse retired from the General Electric Company in 2012 after 17 years, initially as Senior Counsel then as Vice President and General Counsel. Before joining GE, he was a partner at Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs, in Louisville, Kentucky, from July 1989 to August 1995.

He received B.S. in Chemistry/Mathematics from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, in 1973. While at Centre, he earned a Rhodes Scholarship and attended the University of Oxford where he majored in organic chemistry. Mr. Burse returned to the U.S. to attend Harvard Law School, graduating in 1978.

Burse is married to Kim Burse and they have three adult children and one grandchild.