Tennessee Tech has selected Mickey A. Latour as its next provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, pending final approval by the university’s Board of Trustees.
Tech President Phil Oldham said in a press release that the university chose the 30-year higher education veteran to serve as the chief academic officer providing leadership for all academic programs and operations. The press release said Latour comes to the university from Arkansas State University, where he has served as dean of the College of Agriculture since 2020.
“In Dr. Latour, Tennessee Tech students and faculty are getting the total package,” Oldham said in the release. “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.”
The press release said Latour oversaw a 40 percent increase in enrollment in the College of Agriculture during his tenure at Arkansas State. He also led the development of a new strategic plan, raised millions of dollars to support key initiatives and co-chaired planning efforts for a forthcoming College of Veterinary Medicine.
“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.”
The press release said Latour 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. His portfolio also includes key support units such as the Center for Global Experiences, the Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence, the Center for Innovation in Teaching & Learning, the Center for Career Development and the Gretta Stanger Center.
“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.
The press release said Latour brings more than a decade of senior leadership experience at nationally ranked institutions, including previous service as dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences at Southern Illinois University and as the inaugural associate dean for distance learning at Purdue University. John Liu has served as interim provost since June 2025 following the departure of former Provost Lori Mann Bruce.
“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.
The press release said Latour will begin his service at Tennessee Tech on July 1 if approved by the Board of Trustees.