Since former provost Karl Kunkel resigned in May 2018, Southeast has been operating without a permanent provost. That is until Michael P. Godard was selected to fill the position beginning July 1.

Tamela Randolph served as the interim provost during this time, but Godard’s placement marks the first time Southeast has had a permanent provost in 15 months.

Prior to his role at Southeast, Godard served as the interim provost at the University of Central Missouri (UCM) for a year and a half. Before that, he served as vice provost for two and a half years.

Godard said he originally became interested in the position at Southeast after serving UCM as an interim provost because he was ready to take on the position of permanent provost.

He added it was most important for him to be at an institution that valued student success and had that as a focal point. He knew that was one thing Southeast had.

After visiting campus for interviews, Godard said he felt a connection with many and could already see the possibilities. One person he felt a strong connection with was Southeast president Carlos Vargas.

“I really felt like our philosophies aligned very well and that we could do some good things in terms of trying to move the institution forward in academic affairs,” Godard said.

He said some of the main things he wants to focus on as provost is looking at innovative ways in which the university can deliver a quality educational experience and provide more flexible learning opportunities for all students. He also wants to encourage faculty and staff to take a more creative approach to delivering instruction.

Additionally, he said within the first few months he’d like to build trusting relationships with students and faculty.

“One of my goals over the first few months, and certainly through the first semester, is to build trusting relationships with people on campus and make sure they understand where my heart is, where my passion is,” Godard said.

Godard has a long history in public higher education. He worked at the University of Southern Maine (two years), the University of Kansas (four years), Western Illinois University (six years) and the University of Central Missouri (seven years).

He revealed the reason he has worked in public higher education for so long is because of his own experiences as a first-generation college student.

“I was a first generation college student myself, so I really see the value of public higher education and how we [faculty, staff, upper-administration] can transform the lives of students,” Godard said.

The opportunity to do just that for someone else is another thing Godard said he loves about working in public higher education.

“What really makes me tick is watching students transform and watching them navigate down that path to being successful, obviously when they’re on campus but certainly once they leave,” Godard said. “I just want to be a positive influence as they move through.”