Three MSU administrators out amid continued leadership turnover

Three Murray State University administrators are out of their positions after two terminations and a resignation over a three-day span this week.

Vice President for Finance and Administrative Services Laura Foltz and Procurement Director Darcie Liddle were terminated, while Associate Director of Human Resources Haley Stedelin resigned. The Sentinel independently confirmed each departure through multiple sources, all of whom were granted anonymity because of their connections to the university.

The university has not publicly announced any of the three departures.

President Ron Patterson informed the university community in a campus-wide email Wednesday that Foltz would take leave from her position effective Friday. The email did not indicate that she would be leaving the university or provide a reason for her leave.

However, an internal university communication reviewed by The Sentinel indicates Friday was Foltz’s last day at MSU.

The MSU Board of Regents issued notice Friday of a special called meeting Tuesday to appoint a new board treasurer to replace Foltz, who served in the position as part of her responsibilities as vice president for finance and administrative services.

The departures mark the second leadership change in less than a year for each of the three administrative areas affected this week.

Foltz’s departure comes less than seven months after she joined MSU. She began work Jan. 26 after being selected through a national search to replace longtime finance administrator Jackie Dudley, who retired after 40 years at the university.

Liddle also moved into the director’s position following a departure last fall. She had been serving as a senior purchasing agent when Procurement Services Director Beth Ward retired in October. Liddle became interim director the following day and was later named director.

Stedelin likewise took on additional responsibilities following a departure last fall. She became acting director of Human Resources after then-director Courtney Hixon left the university in November, while continuing to serve as associate director.

The university has not announced who will assume the duties held by Foltz, Liddle or Stedelin.

The departures that preceded Foltz, Liddle and Stedelin were part of broader administrative turnover during Patterson’s first months as president.

Patterson took office July 1, 2025. Dudley announced her retirement later that month and initially planned to remain at Murray State through January 2026 to assist with the transition but ultimately left the university at the end of October.

During the first week of classes in August, Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Jordan Smith resigned to take a similar position at Eastern Kentucky University, while then-Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Tim Todd left his administrative role.

Todd returned to the faculty in November and taught through the remainder of the academic year before retiring from MSU in June. He began serving as interim dean of the College of Business and Global Affairs at the University of Tennessee at Martin July 1.

Smith remains at EKU, while his former position at MSU has not been filled. Dudley also later joined EKU, becoming the university’s senior vice president, finance and chief financial officer. 

This year’s fall classes begin Aug. 18.

The Sentinel asked university spokesperson Shawn Touney to confirm whether Foltz and Liddle had been terminated and Stedelin had resigned but did not receive a response before publication.

Editor’s note: The Sentinel’s reporting that Laura Foltz and Darcie Liddle were terminated was based on information provided by multiple sources familiar with the personnel actions. Records subsequently obtained by The Sentinel show both were placed on paid administrative leave for the duration of their employment contracts. The original story remains unchanged; this note has been added to clarify their formal employment status.

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