FRANKLIN — Franklin College officials have chosen a familiar face to lead the school for at least the next two years.
The Franklin College Board of Trustees on Monday named Kerry Prather, who has served in various roles at the college for 38 years, the school’s 17th president. Prather was serving as acting president since Jan. 14, when the college fired its previous president, Thomas J. Minar, following his arrest in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin on charges related to sex crimes with a minor.
Prather will serve in the permanent position until the summer of 2022, according to a Franklin College news release.
The move to make Prather president for the next two years and suspend a months-long presidential search until March of next year was due to Prather’s consistency and leadership style at the college, Board of Trustees Chairman James Due said in the news release.
“The Franklin College Board of Trustees recognizes that Kerry Prather’s steady hand, transparent communication style and committed servant leadership are needed during this time of transition to keep the college focused on the important work of doing what is best for students,” Due said. “The campus community and our alumni enthusiastically greeted Kerry’s appointment as acting president, and today’s announcement reflects the board’s confidence in his abilities and leadership.”
When Franklin College resumes its search in March of next year, it will continue to use Isaacson, Miller as its presidential search firm, according to the news release.
Prather started his career at Franklin College in 1982, when he was hired as an assistant men’s basketball coach and worked in student affairs. He was promoted to head coach a year later, and took on the additional leadership role of athletic director in 1990.
The college grew its athletic offerings under Prather, offering more sports for students and upgrading and building new athletic facilities. In November 2018, Prather achieved his 500th career victory with the school’s basketball team during a season-opening win over Otterbein University.
For much of his career, he also served as an executive leadership representative in four president’s cabinets, including William Martin, Paul Marian, Jay Moseley and Minar. He has also served as acting vice-president for administration and acting vice president for enrollment management.
Prather is a graduate of Indiana University with an undergraduate degree in English and a master’s degree in education.
Franklin, founded in 1834, has an enrollment of just over 1,000 students and offers 50-plus majors in 24 academic disciplines. Its 207-acre campus is in Johnson County, about 25 miles south of downtown Indianapolis.
Minar, 56, was named Franklin’s 16th president on July 1, 2015. He announced in June that he would be leaving the school after the 2019-20 academic year, but didn’t make it that far.
He was arrested after he arranged to meet what he thought was a 15-year old boy at a fast food restaurant in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, saying he was attracted to younger men, according to a criminal complaint filed in a Door County, Wisconsin, circuit court. He is charged with child enticement — sexual contact, use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime, and exposing a child to harmful materials.
