University Communications and Marketing
College of Business dean selected as interim provost
May 17, 2010
Contacts:
Dan Carter, University Relations, 657-2269
MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES — Dr. Gary Young, dean of the Montana State University Billings College of Business, has been selected to serve as interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the university.
Young begins his job on June 7, 2010, to permit a smooth transition with current provost, Dr. D’Ann Campbell. Campbell will be moving to Canton, Mo., to become the academic affairs leader at Culver-Stockton College on July 1.
In making the announcement, MSU Billings Chancellor Ron Sexton said he will count on Young to provide the academic leadership and community connections to build on the university’s established reputation of excellence while advancing MSU Billings as an urban university and an integral part of the Montana State University “one university” mission.
“This is an important time of transition for MSU Billings and our colleges, deans, department chairs, faculty and staff will have important roles to play moving forward,” Sexton said. “I know Dr. Young will do well in maintaining high standards of academic excellence and build new relationships across the university. He will represent the university well with his academic colleagues across the Montana University System.”
Young has been dean of the College of Business since December 2006. In the past year, he and the faculty of the college successfully navigated the process to receive accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. That international recognition of high quality is attained by less than five percent of the world’s business schools.
“The last three-and-a-half years have been the highlight of my professional career,” Young said. “MSU Billings is a great place to work and Billings is a wonderful place to live. I’m pleased to be able to serve as interim provost.”
Young, originally from Tennessee, came to Billings from Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn., where he has been dean of business and a professor of economics from 2000 to 20006. Prior to his experience at Carson-Newman, a four-year, liberal arts Baptist college, he served as dean of the school of business administration at the University of Tennessee, Martin. He is a graduate of Tennessee Technological University and has a master’s degree from Clemson University. He received his Ph.D. from Louisiana Tech University.
His work on economics, trade and the entrepreneurial spirit have been widely published and has been honored for his leadership and involvement with national accreditation bodies for colleges of business.
Besides his work with accreditation efforts, Young has worked to develop partnerships in Billings to advance awareness of the College of Business and its faculty. In the past year, new relationships have been developed with the Downtown Billings Partnership and the city of Billings as well as a new transfer program with the MSU Billings College of Technology.
As interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, Young will have responsibility for academic leadership of six colleges — Allied Health Professions; Arts and Sciences; Business; Education; Professional Studies and Lifelong Learning; and Technology — as well as the MSU Billings libraries and will work closely with student services and administrative services leaders.