MONTGOMERY — The first board of trustees for Athens State University since it became a public college is on its way to approval.

The Senate Confirmations Committee voted 9-0 Wednesday to approve Gov. Robert Bentley’s choices for trustees.

They are: Sandra Sims-deGraffenried, of Orange Beach, former executive director of the Alabama Association of School Boards; Tazewell Shepard, a Huntsville attorney; Clint Shelton, publisher of The Decatur Daily; Maxine Randolph, a store manager from Elkmont; Arthur Orr, a state senator and pest company vice president from Decatur; Macke Mauldin, a bank president from Sheffield; Winston Garth Lovvorn Sr., a large farm operator from Athens; and Mary Dicken, a Department of Defense contract executive, of Meridianville.

Athens became a public college in 1975 and was put under the State Board of Education.

Last year, the Legislature passed a law taking Athens out from under the state school board and gave it a board of trustees like other public universities.

Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, said he hopes to wrap up the approval process by getting the full Senate to vote on the trustees today.

The Confirmations Committee also voted Wednesday to approve the governor’s appointments of Public Service Commission member Terry Dunn to the board of the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind and Secretary of State Beth Chapman to the University of Montevallo board.