Charles M. Anderson

Dr. Charles M. Anderson, a native of Cumberland County, KY, graduated from WKU in 1965 with a degree in the physical sciences before obtaining a Master of Arts Degree in Communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1967. He joined the WKU faculty with teaching responsibilities in radio and television in 1967 leaving in 1970 to pursue a PhD at Indiana University which he completed in 1973. After returning to the WKU faculty he served in adminstrative roles as Director of Media Services, Associate Dean of Academic Services, Assistant Vice President for Technology and Telecommunications and ultimately as WKU’s first Vice President for Information Technology until his retirement in 1999. All the while he served as a faculty member in what is now the School of Media and holds the designation of Professor Emeritus.

During a career that spanned thirty-two years at WKU he led establishment of the public radio network, television station (WKYU-PBS), the student radio station (WWHR), an interactive instructional television network connecting the regional campuses, the campus cable system, organization of the Information Technology Division, the initial networking of the campus and the conceptualization, approval and planning of the Technology wing of Media and Technology Hall.

After retirement from WKU, Dr. Anderson assumed the position of the first Vice Chancellor for Information Technology at the three campus University of Alabama System where he served for four years. Upon his retirement from higher education, he focused his energies on radio station ownership in the Bowling Green area and development of a nationwide broadcast engineering consulting practice.

He is a 1991 graduate of the Leadership Kentucky program, served eleven years on the KET governing board including a term as Vice Chairman, served as chairman of the Kentucky Broadcasters Association, was inducted into the Kentucky Broadcasters Hall of Fame and awarded its highest honor, the Ralph Gabbard Distinguished Kentuckian award.

Charles is married to Faye Anderson, a WKU graduate and retired WKU Coordinator of Degree Certification. Their children Christopher and Catherine both hold masters degrees from WKU.

Charles and Faye established the Anderson Fellows program in 2008 to support the professional development of broadcasting majors working in WKU Public Media and the Charles M. Anderson Scholarship Fund for Communication and Technology in 2001.