David Barnett, executive vice president and CFO at Brenau University, is one of the newest members of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Board of Trustees, having been elected during the board’s recent December meeting.
The 77-member board oversees the accreditation of colleges within the Southern region, which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia as well as Latin America and other international sites approved by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees.
“I am appreciative of the opportunity to serve on the SACSCOC Board,” Barnett said. “The United States offers among the most preeminent higher education experiences in the world due to organizations like SACSCOC. One of the cornerstones of this organization is integrity and the transparent and candid way we engage in peer assessment of member schools as we all seek continuous improvement.”
Barnett came to Brenau in 2005, having served in a wide variety of higher education administrative roles, and assumed his current role in 2013. He served as associate dean of student life at Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky, following other terms in that city as coordinator of clinical services at the University of Louisville School of Medicine and associate vice president for student services at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he also earned a master of divinity degree in Christian education.
“Dr. Barnett is most deserving of this appointment as he has the respect of his peers both at Brenau University and around the almost 800 schools in the Southern region,” said Brenau University President Anne Skleder. “As one of seven members of the Georgia Delegation that represents 79 schools in the state, this appointment speaks well of David’s accomplishments and expertise. Brenau University is most fortunate to have a seasoned administrator of his caliber, and I’m certain he’ll be a valuable asset to the SACSCOC Board of Trustees.”
He worked previously at Truett McConnell University in Cleveland, Georgia, as an associate vice president, dean of instruction for regional campuses and assistant professor of education, and at Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky, as assistant director for student support services.
Barnett earned a Ph.D. in educational leadership and organizational development from the University of Louisville. He also holds an education specialist graduate degree from the University of Louisville and earned a Bachelor of Arts in religious studies from Mercer University.
Barnett’s wife, Kimberly, a Newnan, Georgia native, is a high school language arts teacher in Hall County. She is also a Brenau alumnae, having completed a graduate degree in middle grades education.
