Russell elected to lead Columbia College Board of Trustees

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia College said Wednesday morning college officials elected a new chair to oversee the board of the trustees.

A release from the college said David Russell was elected to a four-year term, which starts on Wednesday.

Columbia College spokesman Sam Fleury said in a release Russell previously served as the state's commissioner on higher education and oversaw Missouri's Department of Higher Education in 2010.

Russell said the college is poised to take on adversities from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Columbia College is well-positioned to meet the challenges posed by the pandemic, economic uncertainty and academic programs that must be delivered in multiple formats,” Russell said in the release.

College officials said a student on-campus tested positive for coronavirus earlier this year. The college said most students had left campus when the test results came in.

Fleury said three others were elected to the college's executive board. Brad Stagg, Carol Winkler and Genie Rogers, each of Columbia, were voted in on Wednesday.

Russell succeeds Walter Bixby who served as the board of trustees chair between 2016 and 2020 and has sat on the board since 2001, the release said.

According to the announcement, Russell worked with the University of Missouri System for 20 years in multiple administrative positions including chief of staff. He also graduated from the University of Missouri with a doctoral degree in educational leadership.