The board鈥檚 Academic and Student Affairs Committee unanimously approved a proposal to create a Center for Positive Leadership. Grounded in research from positive psychology and positive organizational scholarship, the center will promote interdisciplinary research on positive leadership and provide instructional tools on positive leadership development to individuals and university programs.

The center supports the work of the , which began in 2018 and is housed in UofL鈥檚 College of Business.

Initial funding to launch the Center for Positive Leadership came from a $100,000 gift provided by former university athletic director Vince Tyra, a repeating joint gift of $200,000 per year for 10 years from the Department of Athletics and Adidas as well as gifts of $25,000 in 2019 and 2020 from the Rechter family.

The Academic and Student Affairs Committee also submitted a recommendation for the creation of an undergraduate certificate program in sales. The certificate is a 12-credit-hour program that will provide students with competencies and credentials needed to be hired and succeed in sales. All the required courses are pre-existing, will be bundled into a certificate and appear on transcripts and will be offered at least once per year.

The next meeting of the University of Louisville Board of Trustees is Thursday, April 20, 2023, at 1 p.m., in the Jefferson Room, Grawemeyer Hall. For meeting agendas, meeting minutes and more information, see the Board of Trustees .

Through the new partnership, foundational CFE education will include even more rigorous requirements standardized by UofL’s College of Business.聽

鈥淭his landmark education and certification partnership will be transformational to the industry,鈥� said Matthew Haller, president and CEO of the International Franchise Association. 鈥淏uilding on the success of the CFE program, this new partnership will encourage more people in franchising to level-up their skills by pursuing a CFE, ultimately creating a new level of professional excellence in franchising with standards-based education as the foundation. IFA is pleased to partner with the University of Louisville on this venture, which will make franchise education more accessible at a time when we are seeing more and more interest in the business model.鈥澛�

鈥淲e are excited about our partnership with the IFA. This arrangement has been a long time in the making and represents a wonderful opportunity in franchise education,鈥� said Jeff Guan, interim dean of the UofL College of Business. 鈥淥ur high educational standards and curriculum will improve the business qualifications of franchisees in the program and elevate the franchise industry as a whole.”

鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting to see the impact that these organizations can have when they share a passion for collaboration and a mission to make a difference in the lives of entrepreneurs,鈥� said Wanda Williams, head of Global Franchising for Yum! Brands and IFA Board Member. 鈥淲e are very proud of the work that has been done at the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence since it opened, and adding the IFA鈥檚 Certified Franchise Executive certification further enhances the reputation of these best-in-class educational programs.鈥�

The Certified Franchise Executive聽program is the highest level of franchise education and the leading resource to help franchise executives, managers and local franchise owners accelerate individual and organizational growth. The CFE program allows graduates to develop a more thorough understanding of franchising, regardless of their level of experience. It provides an opportunity for accelerated career growth while unleashing the power of opportunity within the franchise business model. In addition, it further strengthens the franchise business model by closing the knowledge and education gap.

The new 鈥淔undamentals of the Franchise Model鈥� program from UofL will include sessions on the foundations of the franchise business model, legalities, business growth, human resources, leadership and the franchisor-franchisee relationship. The six-week, instructor-led virtual bootcamp is delivered by a institution and an business college, signifying high standards of educational excellence.

This program, paired with the IFA鈥檚 FranGuard compliance course, will serve as the mandatory, core components of the CFE program. These core components, combined with elective courses and participation events round out the CFE candidate鈥檚 path to achieve the honored distinction of Certified Franchise Executive.

A professor of accountancy, he has directed the accountancy department and MBA programs, as well as served as associate dean for academic affairs and associate dean for undergraduate programs.

He has twice been acting dean of the college 鈥� in 1994 and in 2003-2004. On Aug. 1, he took on that role for a third time as the university continues its search for a permanent dean.

鈥淒r. Attaway is a respected and longtime member of the college鈥檚 faculty,鈥� acting UofL President Neville Pinto said in an email announcing Attaway鈥檚 appointment. 鈥淭he College of Business is vitally important to the university in its mission of education, discovery, research and service, and I am confident that Dr. Attaway will provide the strong academic leadership necessary to advance it aggressively toward its goals.鈥�

Since the college is in the midst of its accreditation process with the AACSB, Attaway said his first task was to meet with his associate deans and work on a timeline. A report must be submitted in a year and a site visit will take place in 2018.

Attaway has worked in various capacities with the AACSB, including making site visits, and he said he is confident the college is on schedule.

His main goal will be to bring reassurance to students, he said, and his advice is simple: 鈥淧ay attention to your classes and forget all this other stuff. It won鈥檛 have much impact on whether people want to hire you or not. If you do your studies and achieve a solid GPA and get involved in outside activities, you鈥檒l be fine.鈥�

Attaway, 70, said he was supposed to teach six courses this year, but has cut that to three 鈥� two online and one weekend MBA class.

鈥淗aving done this job before, I know trying to meet your classes during the week tends to be difficult because unexpected things pop up,鈥� he said.

An avid walker and golfer, Attaway and his wife live in Shelby County and are raising their two grandsons, ages 18 and 12.

Pinto said in an email that a national search for a dean has begun with a goal of naming that person by the end of this calendar year.