Interview with Beverly H. Haverstock, August 6, 2014

Partial Transcript: This is James Savage. I'm talking today to Beverly Haverstock. Uh, it is August the sixth, 2014, and we are at the KCTCS office in Versailles.

Segment Synopsis: Haverstock discusses her career path leading to her position as KCTCS General Counsel. She talks about the creation of the Cabinet for Workforce Development, and her involvement with Governor Patton’s House Bill 1. She talks about others involved with the development of House Bill 1.

Keywords: Career; KCTCS General Counsel; Paul E. Patton; Politics; Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997; Reform

Subjects: Education, Higher--Kentucky.; Educational change--Kentucky.; Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education

Partial Transcript: Coming from the technical side, you had sort of a, and I say technical side because at his point we're still dealing with the two separate systems.

Segment Synopsis: Haverstock talks about the conflict between the community colleges and technical colleges. She discusses Governor Patton's passion for restructuring the community college system. She discusses serving on the KCTCS Transition Team and Governor Patton’s support of the group. She describes what the Transition Team needed to accomplish.

Keywords: Consolidation; Controversy; Paul E. Patton; Vocational training

Subjects: Community Colleges--Kentucky; Kentucky Community & Technical College System; Technical education--Kentucky.

Partial Transcript: Now, on the ground level, I'm talking about the colleges themselves, both the community and technical colleges. I've read somewhere, uh, that Crit Luallen went and gave a speech in a town that happened to have a technical college and probably community college, too.

Segment Synopsis: Haverstock talks about the concern of the personnel and community about losing jobs and how the concerns were addressed. She discusses the first job of the Board to find a systems president and how this task was conducted during the initial establishment of KCTCS. She talks about interim presidents and the second presidential search. She talks about becoming the KCTCS General Counsel and her hesitancy to be the very first General Counsel. She talks about understanding the needs of KCTCS and her desire for the restructuring of the system to succeed.

Keywords: Consolidation; Employees; Gordon Davies; Jack Conway; KCTCS Board of Regents; Personnel; Presidential search; Public opinion

Subjects: Education, Higher--Kentucky.; Educational change--Kentucky.; Kentucky Community & Technical College System

Partial Transcript: Let's go back to the presidential search. Okay. Um, well, beyond the search now. Mike McCall is hired. What are your first meetings with him like? What are your first impressions of him?

Segment Synopsis: Haverstock talks about interviewing Dr. McCall and her endorsement of him for the presidential position. She talks about a question he was asked during the interview and how he responded. She talks about her first meeting with Dr. McCall after he became president. She talks about the support of KCTCS from university leaders. She talks about McCall's priority of putting his team together.

Keywords: Interview; Leaders; Meetings; Michael B. McCall; Personality; Presidential search; Support

Subjects: College presidents; Kentucky Community & Technical College System

Partial Transcript: The first few months of his presidency are so hectic. You know, it's one thing after the other. From the legal standpoint, what are you working on at that same time? What are you ironing out?

Segment Synopsis: Haverstock discusses helping McCall understand House Bill 1 and writing personnel policies. She talks about the personnel policies helping smooth the conflict between the community and technical colleges. She talks about how employees accepted Dr. McCall.

Keywords: Employees; Faculty; House Bill 1; KCTCS General Counsel; Law; Michael B. McCall; Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997

Subjects: College presidents; Community Colleges--Kentucky; Kentucky Community & Technical College System; Technical education--Kentucky.

Partial Transcript: There are two meetings that, to me, are very critical. Two meetings that occurred during these early days. And you may not have been in on these, I don't know. One is Dr. McCall's meeting with the presidents.

Segment Synopsis: Haverstock talks about a meeting where McCall announced he planned on staying with KCTCS long-term. She describes how meetings were conducted and what McCall expected from meetings.

Keywords: Expectations; Faculty; Leadership; Meetings; Michael B. McCall

Subjects: College presidents; Kentucky Community & Technical College System

Partial Transcript: The consolidation effort is very intriguing to me and its because of what you mentioned about the, it's really locally driven. I mean, it's nobody from KCTCS is going to these presidents, at least my understanding, you correct me if I'm wrong, and saying "merge."

Segment Synopsis: Haverstock talks about the need to combine the community and technical colleges and the beginning of the transition. She discusses the authority of the KCTCS Board of Regents. She talks more about the new personnel system. Haverstock states she had little involvement with resolving Lexington Community College’s issues with KCTCS or with the KCTCS accreditation.

Keywords: Accreditation; Consolidation; Employees; Faculty; KCTCS Board of Regents; Lexington Community College; Personnel

Subjects: Community Colleges--Kentucky; Kentucky Community & Technical College System; Schools--Centralization.; Technical education--Kentucky.

Partial Transcript: Other than the accreditation, you know, the, the, the consolidations, um, you know, working out the transfer agreements, all these personnel issues, everything else. What other issues haven't I touched on that was just so essential during those early years?

Segment Synopsis: Haverstock talks about the importance of finding the right leader, and discusses McCall being a good fit for KCTCS. She talks about McCall being clear about his role and the role of the Board of Regents. Haverstock describes her interaction with the Board and talks about the importance of understanding open records laws.

Keywords: KCTCS Board of Regents; KCTCS General Counsel; Michael B. McCall; Open records laws; Presidential search

Subjects: College presidents; Education, Higher--Kentucky.; Kentucky Community & Technical College System

Partial Transcript: We got off a little bit, um, from the normal progression of the questions. I normally would start by asking where are you from, and your background and education. And I skipped that, so let me go back to that. Where are you from originally?

Segment Synopsis: Haverstock talks about her education and teaching career before becoming a lawyer. She describes her initial interest in pursuing an education in law and her path to becoming a General Counsel. Haverstock discusses her decision to retire. She talks about the success of Dr. McCall and KCTCS. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Career; Education; KCTCS General Counsel; Lawyers; Louisville (Ky.); Michael B. McCall; Retirement; School; Teaching

Subjects: Careers.; Education, Higher--Kentucky.; Kentucky Community & Technical College System; Lawyers--Kentucky.