Mississippi State University announced Jerry Gilbert as the new provost and executive vice president March 12, pending approval from the state’s Institutions of Higher Learning.
MSU President Mark Keenum said a nationwide search was conducted and Gilbert prevailed as a clear leader among the candidates.
“He is well respected among faculty, he has an outstanding scholarly record and he’s deeply engaged in the community,” he said. “We’re confident that he will help us in our goals of strengthening our academic programs and the university’s prominence in scholarship.”
Gilbert has been MSU’s associate provost since 2004, while Glenn Steele has been serving as interim provost since January.
Steele said Gilbert’s knowledge of MSU and experience with the university makes him an excellent choice.
“I am pleased that Dr. Keenum has chosen a provost who has a broad understanding of MSU and will serve the university with a steady hand during this time of financial hardship,” he said.
Steele said the position of provost is a demanding one that requires significant input from others in order to make appropriate decisions.
“I am sure that Dr. Gilbert will engage faculty, staff and administrators in helping to develop strategic initiatives for the future of the university,” he said.
Steele said a major obstacle facing administration is budget cuts.
“The funding problems for the university are serious, but I am sure that our administration will lead us through this crisis and that we will continue to be the flagship university of the state,” he said.
In a statement released to MSU, Gilbert said he is honored to be given this opportunity.
“I’ve been a faculty member for 21 years and am proud of the tremendous academic strengths we have at Mississippi State. It’s a great honor for me to take this position and work with the leadership team to build on our existing strengths,” Gilbert said.
The provost serves as the chief academic officer for MSU and is responsible for all academic policies and operations of the university.
“I particularly look forward to working with Dr. Keenum and the administration, as well as our highly committed faculty and staff, to continue advancing the academic opportunities and academic reputation of our university,” Gilbert said.
Gilbert received his bachelor’s degree in biological engineering from MSU in 1977 and holds a doctorate from Duke University in biomedical engineering.