TOPEKA- Washburn University President Jerry B. Farley is the recipient of the 2008 Presidential Excellence Award presented by the NASPA-IV-West, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. Farley received the award Thursday, Nov. 6 at the NASPA-IV-West conference in Tulsa, Okla. The award is a special recognition given to a college or university president who has, over a sustained period of time, advanced the quality of student life on campus by supporting student affairs staff and programs. This individual must show evidence of direct involvement in enhancing the quality of student life on campus, active attempts to involve students and student life in governing the institution, and demonstrable contributions to the profession, which have an impact beyond an individual campus. NASPA is the leading voice for student affairs administration, policy, and practice, and affirms the commitment of the student affairs profession to educating the whole student and integrating student life and learning. With more than 11,000 members at 1,400 campuses, and representing 29 countries, NASPA is the foremost professional association for student affairs, administrators, faculty, and graduate and undergraduate students. Farley became the 14th president of Washburn University in 1997, following an extensive career in finance and business affairs at several other higher education institutions. He previously served as vice president of community relations and economic development and vice president for administration at the University of Oklahoma, where he was the chief fiscal officer responsible for a budget of more than one half billion dollars. He was also the chief financial officer at the University of Oklahoma’s Health Sciences Center and at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. He holds a degree in finance and accounting, a master’s of business administration and a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Oklahoma. He is a certified public accountant and has been the president and chair of the board of several state and national professional organizations. He has authored or co-authored numerous articles and a book on finance and accounting. Farley is currently chairman of the Jayhawk Area Council of the Boy Scouts and has served on local and state boards for the American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, United Way and economic development corporations. Selected for the Topeka Business Hall of Fame, he served as president of the Topeka Chamber of Commerce and is a founder and board member of Go Topeka. He has taught summer school at the University of Kentucky and the University of California, Santa Barbara, for more than 25 years. In addition to accounting, leadership and budgeting, he teaches a two-hour course on how to use humor effectively.