Tim Wolfe
University of Missouri System
Total Enrollment: 75,348 (system-wide)
Locations: Columbia, Kansas City, St. Louis, Rolla
New Title: President
Previously: President of the Americas for Novell, Inc.; Executive Vice President, CovanSys Corp.; Vice President, IBM
Education: Advanced Management Program, Harvard School of Business; B.S., Business, Trulaske School of Business, University of Missouri
Five-Year Goal: “My No. 1 goal as president of the University of Missouri System would be for each of our four campuses to achieve all of their goals as defined in their strategic plans, and that the University of Missouri system and all of higher education is recognized by all Missourians as the key ingredient to a more prosperous citizenry in Missouri.”
Bowen Loftin
University of Missouri–Columbia
Total Enrollment: 34,658
Location: Columbia, Mo.
New Title: Chancellor
Previously: President, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas; VP, Texas A&M–Galveston
Education: Ph.D., and M.S., Physics, Rice University, Houston, Texas; B.S., Physics, Texas A&M
Five-Year Goal: “While I have several ‘No. 1’ goals, one that I believe to be singularly important is the development of a consensus, long-range vision for the university. Mizzou has been developing and implementing strategic plans for many years, but plans must be contextually based on a long-range (25 or more years) vision of what the institution wants to be. Beginning in September, faculty, students, staff, alumni, retirees and friends will engage in an eight-month process to define a vision for the University’s 200th birthday and beyond.”
Scott Dalrymple
Columbia College
Total Enrollment: 30,000
Location: Columbia, Mo.
New Title: President
Previously: Dean, School of Liberal Arts, Excelsior College, Albany, N.Y.
Education: Ph.D., MBA and M.A., English, State University of New York–Buffalo; B.A., English, SUNY–Geneseo
Five-Year Goal: “In the early 1970s, we began offering service members on military bases, and 15 years ago, a robust slate of online programs. These moves all had one thing in common: they were about access to education. We engaged in what Clayton Christensen calls disruptive innovation, pursuing underserved markets in bold new ways—ways that eventually became mainstream. We spend a good deal of time asking ourselves what that next disruptive innovation will be. Colleges that don’t ask this question, that don’t adapt, run the risk of obsolescence.”
Prema Arasu
Kansas State University–Olathe
Total Enrollment: 24,581 (all campuses)
Location: Olathe, Kan.
New Title: CEO & Vice Provost
Previously: Vice Provost, Washington State University; Director, Global Health Initiatives, and Associate Vice Provost, North Carolina State University
Education: Ph.D., Microbiology and Immunology, Hahnemann University; DVM, Cornell University; M.S., Food Science, Univ. of Wyoming; MBA, Univ. of North Carolina; B.S., Biology, National University of Malaysia
Five-Year Goal: Defining a unique, technology and business centric campus. We want to be recognized as a solution finder and critical partner for businesses, government and communities regionally and globally. Success will mean keeping our food system and industry competitive through the university’s Global Food Systems Initiative, and contributing to K-State’s vision of being a Top 50 Public Research University by 2025.”
Joe Sopcich
Johnson County Community College
Total Enrollment: 19,684
Location: Overland Park, Kan.
New Title: President
Previously: Exec. VP/CFO; Exec VP, Administrative Services; VP, Institutional Advancement and Government Affairs; Exec. Director, Institutional Advancement (1992–2013)
Education: Ph.D., Higher Education Administration, University of Kansas; MS., MBA and B.A., American Studies, University of Notre Dame
Five-Year Goal: “Our No. 1 goal over the next five years is to position the college in the best possible way to compete and excel in today’s higher education marketplace. Our focus will be on serving our students and community in the most effective, accountable and efficient manner possible. All of these components add up to student success, and when our students succeed, our community succeeds.”
Mirta Martin
Fort Hays State University
Total Enrollment: 15,449
Location: Hays, Kan.
New Title: President
Previously: Dean, Reginald F. Lewis College of Business, Virginia State University; Special Assistant to the Chancellor, Virginia Community College System
Education: Ph.D., Strategic Management and Leadership, Virginia Commonwealth University; MBA, University of Richmond; B.S., Psychology and Political Science, Duke University
Five-Year Goal: “My top goal over the next five years is to make Fort Hays State University the destination of choice for students, faculty, staff and researchers. By reaching that goal, we would create an economic multiplier for the city of Hays, our region and the state, and we would educate our future generation of leaders while retaining their talent in Kansas.”
Fred Pestello
Saint Louis University
Total Enrollment: 13,505
Location: St. Louis, Mo.
New Title: President
Previously: President, LeMoyne College, Syracuse, N.Y.; Provost, University of Dayton
Education: Ph.D., Sociology, University of Akron/Kent State University combined program; M.S., Sociology, University of Akron; B.S., Sociology, John Carroll University
Five-Year Goal: “During the next five years, we will make significant, strategic and mission-driven investments in our people, programs and projects that will strengthen the transformative educational experience we provide to our students, extend the frontiers of knowledge, expand our service in the region and beyond, and further elevate Saint Louis University’s status as one of the world’s premier Jesuit research universities.”
Michael Droge
Park University
Total Enrollment: 11,013
Location: Parkville, Mo.
New Title: Chancellor
Previously: President, Provost, Sr. VP–Academic Affairs at Park University; Dean, Graduate Studies and Research, Texas Woman’s University
Education: Ph.D., Physiology and Bio-physics, Univ. of Texas Medical Branch–Galveston; M.S., Zoology, Texas Tech; B.A., Biology and German, Univ. of Kansas
Five-Year Goal: “To engage with Park’s many external constituents and develop partnerships to extend the reach of our programs. That will include creation of additional teaching facilities and/or campus centers, or expanding existing partnerships to offer additional programs that better serve students’ needs. Park’s longtime model of serving students in person, by distance learning or online is quickly becoming the success model for affordable higher education.”
Alan Marble
Missouri Southern State University
Total Enrollment: 5,616
Location: Joplin, Mo.
New Title: President
Previously: President, Crowder College (2006–2013)
Education: Ph.D., Higher Education Administration, University of Nebraska; M.S. and B.S., Psychology, Pittsburg State University
Five-Year Goal: “The No.1 goal is to be the most student-centered university possible. Simply, we are dedicated to fulfilling our mission by offering ... degrees that meet the needs of students. And, central to our mission is a strong commitment to international education, liberal arts, professional and pre-professional programs and the complementary relationship that must exist among them to prepare individuals for success in careers and lifelong learning. This student-centered approach is the hallmark of Missouri Southern.”
David Manuel
Drury University
Total Enrollment: 4,231
Location: Springfield, Mo.
New Title: President
Previously: Chancellor, Louisiana State University-Alexandria, VP–Academic Affairs, St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas
Education: Ph.D. and M.A., University of Mississippi, Oxford, Miss.; B.S., Economics, Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, La.
Five-Year Goal: “My goal is for Drury University to be recognized as the preeminent private university in the central U.S. that most effectively integrates professional studies, the liberal arts for the 21st century and engaged learning. We believe the integration of these three educational components results in graduates who are resilient and prepared to succeed not just in their first jobs, but in their entire working careers. This is what students and their families want, and we are delivering it in spades.”
Lynne Murray
Baker University
Total Enrollment: 3,076
Location: Baldwin City, Kan.
New Title: President
Previously: VP–Development, International and Alumni Relations, Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C.
Education: Ph.D., Special Education, Gallaudet; M.A., Marketing, Johns Hopkins University; B.A., English, St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Five-Year Goal: “My vision is to lead beyond our horizon, and we’re in a great place to do that. We have a distinguished national reputation and a strong tradition of alumni support. In the coming years, we want to maintain a sustainable resource base and remain flexible enough to respond to the growing needs of our regional, national and global communities. We must create quality programs for undergraduate and graduate students that meet academic standards and prepare them to succeed and become leaders in their chosen professions.”
Marc Hahn
Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences
Total Enrollment: 1,038
Location: Kansas City, Mo.
New Title: President/CEO
Previously: Sr. VP–Health Affairs and dean, Univ. of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine; Sr. VP–Health Affairs, Univ. of North Texas Health Science Center; Dean, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine
Education: D.O., Des Moines University; B.S., Biology, Syracuse University
Five-Year Goal: Hahn could not be reached for comment, but when he was introduced as KCUMB’s chief executive, he noted that, “as our country reaches a point of crisis with respect to a shortage of physicians, especially in the primary care specialties, KCUMB is positioned to make a profound difference in the delivery of health care. Our mission has always been focused on primary care and service to the underserved and that focus is needed now more than ever.”
