The Pensacola Junior College District Board of Trustees took action at their September 2009 meeting to confer president emeritus status on former PJC presidents.
“Our Board of Trustees felt that we needed to honor our previous presidents by bestowing this honorary title on them,” said Board Chair John O’Connor. “It is a token of our respect for each of these past leaders and their footprint, which helped make this one of the nation’s premier community colleges.”
Some of the presidents will receive the honor posthumously, noted O’Connor, “But we shall list them as presidents with emeritus status in college publications.” O’Connor also said efforts would be made to notify surviving family members of the designation.
Emeritus status is an honorary academic title awarded for distinguished service to PJC and the academic community.
PJC presidents given this status by a special Board of Trustees resolution include Henry L. Ashmore, 1955-1964; T. Felton Harrison, 1964-1980; Horace E. “Ed” Hartsell, 1980-1998; Charles A. Atwell, 1998-2002; and G. Thomas Delaino, 2002-2008.
Former President Delaino was present at the Board of Trustee meeting to take part in the official investiture of current PJC President Ed Meadows. Delaino received the emeritus status in person.
“I am very honored by this honorary title, and I am especially pleased that all the former PJC presidents share it with me,” Delaino told the Board of Trustees. “This is a great college in a great community, and I am pleased to have had the opportunity to play some small role in its 60-year history.”
Meadows said it was an honor long-overdue. “These are the leaders who built this fine institution, and to confer on them this title, which carries great esteem in the academic community, honors their service to the college, the community and the state.”
