Tennessee Tech selected Mickey Latour as its next provost and vice president for academic affairs.
The selection set to be approved by the Board of Trustees at a special called meeting Wednesday. Tennessee Tech President Phil Oldham said Latour brings three decades of higher education experience and a background as a nationally recognized animal science researcher to the position.
“In Dr. Latour, Tennessee Tech students and faculty are getting the total package,” Oldham said. “He is a multi-award-winning professor committed to equipping every faculty member to do their best work, a prolific researcher with more than 80 scholarly publications and a skilled administrator who understands how to compete and win in today’s changing higher education landscape.”
Latour comes to the university from Arkansas State University, where he served as the dean of the College of Agriculture since 2020.
Latour will serve as the chief academic officer providing leadership for all academic programs and operations. He will oversee nine colleges and schools encompassing more than 225 fields of study, as well as the Volpe Library, Tech Honors, the Registrar’s Office and the Army ROTC program.
“He will help advance Tech’s reputation for academic excellence while challenging us to think boldly about what comes next for our students and programs,” Oldham said. “We look forward to welcoming him to Cookeville.”
During his tenure at Arkansas State, Latour oversaw a 40 percent increase in enrollment in the College of Agriculture and co-chaired planning efforts for a forthcoming veterinary medicine college. He also previously served as a dean at Southern Illinois University and an associate dean at Purdue University.
“I am drawn to Tennessee Tech’s deep commitment to experiential learning and believe we can build upon that foundation to further distinguish our students and the university while cultivating new strategic partnerships,” Latour said.
Latour holds a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Southeastern Louisiana University and a master’s degree and doctorate from Mississippi State University in animal physiology. John Liu has served as the interim provost since June 2025 following the departure of former Provost Lori Mann Bruce, the press release said.
“I look forward to collaborating with the many talented individuals across this great university as we pursue new opportunities and continue striving for excellence,” Latour said.
If approved by the board of trustees, Latour will begin his service at Tennessee Tech on July 1.