Provost/Chief Academic Officers

Bennett College has appointed Dr. Laura Colson as their new Vice President for Academic Affairs. Dr. Colson is currently serving as the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs for Johnson C. Smith University.  Prior to this position, Dr. Colson served as JCSU’s Dean of the Metropolitan College of Professional Studies. Dr. Colson brings her vast academic and administrative experience at HBCU’s to Bennett’s Senior Leadership team at a time of great transition for the College. She holds an Ed.D. in Curriculum & Instruction from Gardner-Webb University, a Master of Education in Curriculum & Supervision from The University of North Carolina, Charlotte and a BA in Elementary Education from The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Read more here.

The University of Houston - Downtown has also announced the appointment of Dr. Sheila Lloyd as its new Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs. She will officially assume this role on June 1, 2021. Dr. Lloyd, currently serving as the Associate Provost for Teaching, Learning and Faculty Affairs, the Director of the Center for Faculty Excellence and a Professor of English for Mills College, will apply her years of administrative experience in helping to advance the strategic planning and diversity initiatives of UHD. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in English Literature from Cornell University and a B.A. in English Literature from Yale University. Read more here.

Southeastern University has appointed Dr. Meghan Griffin as Provost and Chief Academic Officer. Dr. Griffin currently serves as the associate provost and dean of unrestricted education at Southeastern. She joined Southeastern in 2017 after serving six years at Daytona State College as assistant and associate professor of management, assistant chair and program chair. Her early career included roles as a research associate at the University of Central Florida and director of extension site student services at Palm Beach Atlantic University. Dr. Griffin earned a doctorate in texts and technology from the University of Central Florida, a Master of Business Administration degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University and a Bachelor of Arts in English degree from Rollins College. Griffin also holds a Graduate Certificate in Professional Writing. Read more here.

The University of North Dakota has named Dr. Eric Link as the university's new Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs effective July 1, 2021. Dr. Link currently serves as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at the University of Houston-Downtown, a public, comprehensive institution of more than 15,000 students. In his role as provost, Dr. Link has provided leadership for the academic affairs, student affairs, and enrollment management operations of the university. An award-winning teacher and scholar, he earned his Ph.D. in American Literature from Purdue University. Read more here.

Point Park University has announced the appointment of Dr. Michael Soto as its new Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs. Dr. Soto currently serving as Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs: Student Academic Issues and Retention and a Professor of English at Trinity University in San Antonio. Dr. Soto has been with Trinity University in positions of increasing responsibility since 1999. Building on his commitment to diversity in higher education, he served as the co-chair of the Retention and Graduation Task Force and director of the McNair Scholars Program where he supported students traditionally locked out of higher education on their path to advanced study. Dr. Soto holds a Ph.D. in English & American Literature & Language from Harvard University and a B.A. in Modern Thought & Literature/Humanities from Stanford University. Read More.

Dunwoody College of Technology has announced that Scott Stallman, Ph.D., has been named the College’s new Provost.  Dr. Stallman will be starting his new position in early January, 2021.  He brings with him 13 years of experience leading academic programs, most recently serving as Vice President of Instruction, Chief Academic Officer at Lone Star College in Tomball, Texas. Dr. Stallman earned his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Missouri – Columbia, his Master’s degree in Adult and Higher Education Administration at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and his Doctorate in Higher Education Administration at Illinois State University. Read more here.

Kent State University has appointed Dr. Melody Tankersley as its new Senior VIce President and Provost, effective on November 1st, 2020.  An experienced leader, Dr. Tankersley has served Kent State in positions of increasing responsibility since 1993.  Dr. Tankersley is one of the nation’s leading scholars in her field of special education and is an accomplished administrator. Since being named interim senior vice president and provost in 2019, she has excelled in many areas, particularly in her handling of the many challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Tankersley earned her bachelor’s and master's degrees in special education from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina and her doctorate degree in special education from the University of Virginia. Read more here.

Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) concluded a national search for a Vice President for Academic Affairs with the recruitment of Keith M. Williamson to the position. Williamson brings 17 years of teaching experience in the field of engineering and numerous relationships for innovation and business incubation.

Dr. Kenneth F. Newbold, Jr. has been appointed as the next Provost of Benedictine University. Dr. Newbold most recently served as Provost and Executive Vice President at Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana. During his career, Dr. Newbold has actively led academic program development, funding to support research and creative endeavors and partnership development that connected academic programs to external constituents. At Goshen College, he provided direct supervision of the enrollment division which achieved three consecutive years of growth, including the largest incoming first-year class in a decade. Prior to Goshen, Dr. Newbold held a series of progressive leadership roles at James Madison University, leaving the university as Associate Vice Provost for Research and Scholarship. While at JMU, he oversaw the Office of Research and Scholarship during a time of tremendous growth, which included record external funding for research of over $21 million. He led JMU’s federal initiatives and also represented the university with key regional and state constituents. Dr. Newbold graduated from Bridgewater College with a bachelor’s degree in history and political science. He earned a master of public administration degree with a concentration in higher education as well as a Ph.D. in Strategic Leadership from James Madison University. Dr. Newbold will officially assume his new role at Benedictine in May.

Johnson C. Smith University has appointed Dr. Karen D. Morgan as the new Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. Dr. Morgan is currently serving as the Interim Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Experience at New Jersey City University. Dr. Morgan earned her bachelor of arts degree in mathematics, master of science degree in mathematics and Ph.D. in higher education/mathematics education from the University of Mississippi. She will begin her tenure at Johnson C. Smith University on July 1, 2020.  Read more here.