AU Board of Visitors to convene Published Nov. 15, 2013 By Donovan Jackson 42nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs MAWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Al -- Air University's Board of Visitors will meet with AU leadership Monday and Tuesday to discuss the future of Air University in times of transition and scarce resources. Lieutenant Gen. David Fadok, Air University commander and president, will present an update that details the impacts to Air University caused by sequestration, furloughs and the restrictions on faculty travel. "Every time the board visits we look to them to apply strategic insight to current Air University affairs that will bring forth beneficial results," said Dr. Bruce Murphy, vice president for academic affairs. "The board is comprised of a very influential group of people with vast levels of knowledge and experience aimed at helping and guiding us each visit." This year, there are only 15 members on the Air University BOV, 13 less than last year. According to Murphy, the number of people serving on the board has been reduced due to budget constraints, increasing the importance of each member's role. This year's board includes retired four-star generals, a retired chief master sergeant of the Air Force, a former U.S. ambassador and a former chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin. "Our board members provide very high quality work while on the board, for no pay," said Murphy. "They do this out of a sense of devotion to their country, and we are very grateful for what they do." This year's board visit will be especially significant for Murphy since he will retire on Dec. 31. "I wanted to make it a point to have the Air University board present at my retirement ceremony because that's how much I admire them," Murphy said. "They have really, really helped us, giving us insight that we may not have had otherwise. They've made recommendations and been there as a steady force for years." The board has been meeting since 1946, when Gen. Muir S. Fairchild, the first Air University commander, established the BOV just 15 days after the university was established. For more information, visit www.au.af.mil/au/bov/index.asp.