WKU votes to extend contract of current president

HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT) – The Western Kentucky University Board of Regents voted to extend the contract for President Timothy C. Caboni through 2029.

University officials state since taking office, Caboni has placed a strong emphasis on enriching student experience and driving academic achievement while laying a solid foundation for WKU’s continued advancement. Officials say Caboni’s leadership has fostered a spirit of innovation across campus and helped dismantle traditional barriers and encourage fresh approaches to institutional challenges.

Officials also say Caboni has remained focused on strengthening the university’s long-term position and has spearheaded efforts to supplement federal and state support with private giving, achieving the university’s five highest fundraising years in history in 2018-2020, 2022 and 2023.

WKU states Caboni has prioritized a number of initiatives designed to support student success. The initiatives played a role in the following and others:

• Increasing student retention from just under 70% to more than 78%
• Fall-to-spring retention of first time, first year students rose by more than five percentage points since 2017 with 90% returning for spring semester
• Significant gains in key student populations
• Significant success in WKU athletics

WKU also states Caboni has overseen an aggressive transformation of the physical campus including:

• Ongoing work to fully develop First Year Village
• Opening of the Commons at Helm Library
• New home of the Golden Ford College of Business
• New soccer/softball complex
• Hilltopper Fieldhouse
• Hilltop Restoration Project
• Restoration of Cherry Hall
• Continued planning to replace the Academic Complex

“On behalf of the entire WKU Board of Regents, I am honored to reaffirm our deep confidence in President Caboni’s leadership,” said W. Currie Milliken, Chair of the Board. “Since becoming president, Dr. Caboni has consistently shown a bold and forward-thinking approach that has elevated WKU in meaningful ways. His strategic vision, relentless energy and clear dedication to academic excellence and student achievement have guided WKU through both opportunities and challenges with remarkable clarity and purpose. Under his leadership, the university has expanded its reach, enhanced its reputation and stayed true to its mission of serving students and the broader region. We are excited about the future with President Caboni at the helm and look forward to continued progress under his leadership.”

“I am deeply honored by the continued confidence the Board of Regents has placed in me,” said President Caboni. “It is a privilege to lead this remarkable institution alongside such dedicated faculty, staff and students. As a proud WKU alumnus, serving as president is more than a professional role; it is a deeply personal commitment to a place that shaped who I am. I look forward to building on the momentum we’ve created and advancing the important work that defines our mission. Together, we will continue to strengthen WKU’s effect across our region and beyond.”

Caboni has served as the institution’s 10th president since taking over in 2017.