<p>Wasn’t Machen also a professor? It’s not much but at least he has some higher education experience on the other side of the coin than just being a student.</p>
<p>He was president at the University of Utah. Before Utah, Machen was employed in various capacities as professor and administrator by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Michigan.</p>
<p>On the other hand, Thrasher was a member of the Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2006 and Chair from 2001 to 2005. So he’s very familiar with university governance. </p>