More from Whitlock on the Eastern Spirit

I was glad to see that the Herald-Leader got Dr Doug Whitlock's comment at yesterday's inauguration in reponse to those who thought the university presidents, as a group, appeared a bit too happy with the recent 3 percent budget cuts because they feared a worse-case scenairo of 12 percent cuts.

During his remarks Whitlock clarified his stand saying

"I am content that the budget was as good as we could expect given the available revenues, but I am not satisfied," said Whitlock, who stood before a dais that included [Governor Steve] Beshear and Brad Cowgill, president of the state Council on Postsecondary Education. "This is a case of the best that we could do being hardly good enough."

This from the Herald-Leader, by photo by David Perry.

Whitlock is installed as president of EKU
HIS HISTORY THERE GOES BACK 38 YEARS

RICHMOND --Hailed repeatedly as "one of their own" by alumni and faculty, Doug Whitlock was officially installed as Eastern Kentucky University's 11th president Friday afternoon.

Whitlock's inaugural speech detailed his goals for the university, which include increasing enrollment, strengthening ties to the elementary and secondary education community and amplifying the school's global focus and involvement. He also displayed a commitment to reach those goals despite a smaller budget and higher tuition...

...On Tuesday, EKU's Board of Regents approved a 9 percent tuition increase for the next school year in response to the grim budget outlook.

"It would be easy to wring our hands and engage in a mutual 'pity party,'" Whitlock said. "But we are not whiners. That's not our way and it would counter to the Eastern spirit." ...

... "It is accurate to conclude that his 38 years at EKU makes him somewhat of an institution here," Beshear said...