Friday morning’s Board of Regents meeting saw decisions to grant an increase in salary for WKU President Timothy Caboni, the purchasing of property and granting a request for emeritus status to a faculty member.

The executive committee passed a motion that raised Caboni’s salary due to his contractual obligation to live in the president’s house.

According to Howarth, the raise in salary is a result of an IRS audit on the university’s presidential residence which ruled that the home was a taxable non-cash benefit.

Howarth explained that the approximate $22,500 increase in salary will keep the president’s net pay at its current level and the Board of Regents agreed to the increase in pay and will vote to approve it in March.

Another motion that passed Friday morning was the motion to purchase property at 1560 Normal St. in order to tear down an unsightly building and possibly build an additional parking lot, which was presented by the Executive Committee.

Located across from the library on campus, the property is priced at $113,000 according to Susan Howarth, executive vice president for Strategy, Operations and Finance.

Julie Hinson, a member of the Board of Regents, agreed that the building was unsightly.

“One of the things that we’ve shifted towards really focus on acquiring all the properties that are promising,” Caboni said.

The Board of Regents also granted emeritus status to Donna Blackburn, professor of nursing in WKU, which was a motion presented by the Academic Affairs Committee.

According to Cheryl Stevens, acting provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at WKU, Blackburn received many academic honors and awards including the WKU University award for public service and continued to serve on corporate boards and as a research consultant.

News reporter Abbey Nutter can be reached at 270-745-6011 and [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @abbeynutter.