[5] A controversy emerged in October 1988 after Philip Chandler II, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, criticized Smith for a memo in which she rejected his chosen candidate for a department chair vacancy and recommended giving preference to "a minority with a Ph.D. in English".

[12][13] The board of regents announced in March 1989, that Smith would become the interim president of KSU upon Burse's scheduled resignation the following month.

[15] Smith began her term by attempting to address grievances from university employees who had been unhappy with Burse's management; she was later credited with boosting morale among faculty members.

[21] Wolfe's presidency was tumultuous, and on October 7, 1991, the board charged him with financial misconduct and transferred the ability to approve the university's expenditures to Smith.

[22] Upon Wolfe's sudden resignation on October 18,[23] Smith assumed the duties of the presidency, and was considered a top contender for the permanent post.

[24][25] On October 30, the board officially named her as president of KSU in a 6–3 vote, with the dissenters not being personally opposed to Smith but rather expressing desire for a nationwide search.

[27] As president, she served on the newly established statewide Task Force on Higher Education, which examined reform of Kentucky's universities,[28] and she chaired the Commission on Higher Education Institutional Efficiency and Cooperation, which advised Governor Paul E. Patton on the potential for interactive distance learning via television or the Internet.