Office of University Counsel Staff

James C. Floyd
University Counsel and Assistant to the President
James has been MTSU’s University Counsel since September 2003. Prior to joining the Office of the University Counsel, he served as Assistant Commissioner and General Counsel for the Tennessee Department of Personnel and Deputy Legal Counsel in the Office of the Governor. James also worked as an Assistant General Counsel at the Tennessee Board of Regents and Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Litigation and State Services Division of the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office. James has a Juris Doctor degree from Tulane University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Alabama.

J. David Hays
Assistant University Counsel
Dr. David Hays received his undergraduate ('75) and graduate degrees ('78) from Tennessee Technological University.  He was employed for two years at Hanover College in Indiana in Hanover, Indiana, before returning to Tennessee and a position as Associate Dean of Students-Men's Affairs at MTSU in 1981.  He has since served as Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Student Life.  He earned his J.D. degree from Nashville School of Law in 1986 and has maintained an active license to practice law since that time.  He also completed the Ed.D. degree at Vanderbilt University in 1996.  He was appointed Assistant University Counsel in November, 2004.

Karen A. Papini
Executive Aide to the University Counsel
Ms. Papini has been employed at MTSU since December, 2004.  Prior to that, she worked as an executive legal secretary for the City of Macomb, Illinois for 10 years and 2 years at a private law firm.  She is married to Dr. Dennis Papini, Chair of the Psychology Department at MTSU and they have 3 children, Jason, Marie and Natalie.  Ms. Papini is the primary contact for scheduling and office management functions.