A familiar face is returning to the helm of the University of Pikeville.
Former Kentucky Governor Paul Patton will serve as interim leader of the school following the departure of its current president. A news release issued from UPike Monday says James Hurley is stepping aside for “personal reasons.”
Patton is chancellor at UPike and served as president from 2010 to 2013.
The school’s board of trustees will initiate a national search for the school’s next leader. In announcing the moves, UPike credited Hurley for the school’s record enrollment growth, as well as its recent additions of new colleges of businesses and education, and global education partnerships.