Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development

During its December 9 meeting, Missouri’s Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE) selected new officers and committee chairs, as well as named new members to the Commissioner’s Advisory Group.

Joe Cornelison, Gary Nodler, and Gwen Grant were selected to serve as officers in 2021. Cornelison will serve as chair, Nodler as vice chair, and Grant as secretary. Coordinating board officers are selected by the board annually and serve a one-year term.

A retired colonel in the U.S. Army with a law degree from Georgetown, Cornelison was appointed to serve on the coordinating board in December 2017. He served as the board’s vice chair in 2020.

Cornelison will succeed Doug Kennedy, Poplar Bluff, who served as chair for the last three years.

“It’s an honor to serve as the board’s new chair and to follow Doug Kennedy, whose leadership and commitment to higher education improved the lives of students and families throughout Missouri,” Cornelison said. “I look forward to working with the state’s colleges and universities and workforce partners to ensure the quality and accessibility of higher education and workforce opportunities in 2021 and beyond.”    

CBHE committee chairs were also named during the meeting. Along with serving as vice chair in 2021, Nodler will also head the Budget and Financial Aid Committee. Secretary Gwen Grant will chair the Academic Affairs & Workforce Needs Committee.

CBHE member Dudley McCarter will chair the Audit Committee, and member Shawn Saale will continue to lead the Strategic Planning & External Affairs Committee.

Along with the new officers and committee chairs, six new members were selected to join the Commissioner’s Advisory Group. The group meets on a quarterly basis and includes representatives from community colleges, Council on Public Higher Education members, and the University of Missouri System. Each member serves a two-year term.

New members include: Dean Van Galen from Missouri Southern State University, Carlos Vargas from Southeast Missouri State University, Kristin Sobolik from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Glenn Coltharp from Crowder College, Dena McCaffrey from Jefferson College, and Wes Payne from Three Rivers College.

Find more information about the coordinating board, including the Dec. 9 board book at https://dhewd.mo.gov/cbhe/.

About the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development: The department works to empower Missourians with the skills and education needed for success. More information about MDHEWD can be found at https://dhewd.mo.gov or on Facebook and Twitter @MoDHEWD.

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