Wayne Community College honors three with title of trustee emeritus
By From staff reports
Published in News on March 30, 2017 9:57 AM
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Former Wayne Community College board of trustee members Tommy Cox, left, and Gwyndella Wilson were recently named trustees emeritus.
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Tommy Jarrett talks about his service on WCC's board of trustees after being named trustee emeritus.
The board of trustees of Wayne Community College has bestowed its highest honor, the title of of trustee emeritus, on three former members, Gwyndella Wilson, Tommy Cox and Tommy Jarrett.
Two of them served twice on the board, for a total of 20 years each. Ms. Wilson's years of service were from 1992-2000 and 2002-2014, with Cox being a member from 1994 to 1998 and 2000 until 2016. Jarrett was a member of the board from 1999 until 2015.
Trustee Chair Veda McNair, who made the presentation, had served alongside all of the recipients.
"I have been inspired as a board member to do all I can personally to make Wayne Community College the flagship college of North Carolina and beyond," she said. "Each has left a legacy of overwhelming support and leadership for the students, staff and faculty as Wayne Community College has soared to great heights. I can only hope that my fellow board members and I will follow the great example set by these three outstanding individuals."
All three honorees had served on various committees, as committee chairs, and in officer roles, including chair of the board, during their tenures.
Among the board of trustees' duties are to elect a president to the institution, to employ all other personnel to the community college, to purchase land necessary for the operation of the college, to apply the standards for admission and graduation of the students of the institution, to receive and accept donations given to the community college and to provide all or part of the instructional services.
Trustees are appointed to four-year terms of office. Jarrett was appointed by the state's governor. Ms. Wilson was named to the board by the Wayne County Board of Education and the Wayne County Commissioners.
All three of those entities made Cox a trustee.
The criteria for trustee emeritus are eight or more years of service as a trustee, leadership on the board, involvement in community activities, and support for the mission, programs and constituents of Wayne Community College.
The college's first nine trustees emeritus were named in 2000.
They included Monroe Best, Powell Bland, Nancy Chase, Sam Hocutt Sr., Ralph Jinnette, Richard Moffatt, Demming Smith, Hal Tanner Sr. and George Wilson.
Bobby Rex Kornegay became the 10th when he was named in 2004, with 13 years of service, the most longevity until the latest round.
Plaques bearing the names of each trustee emeritus are displayed in a place of honor at the college. The recipients also enjoy the privilege of inclusion with the current trustees when they are listed in college publications and special invitations to college events.