Tennessee Tech recommends Mickey A. Latour as provost
Tennessee Tech University has selected Mickey A. Latour, Ph.D., as its next provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, pending final approval by the university’s Board of Trustees.
A 30-year veteran of higher education and a nationally recognized animal science researcher, Latour comes to Tech from Arkansas State University, where he has served as dean of the College of Agriculture since 2020.
During his tenure at Arkansas State, Latour oversaw a 40% increase in enrollment in the College of Agriculture, led the development and implementation of a new strategic plan, raised millions of dollars to support key initiatives and co-chaired planning efforts for the university’s forthcoming College of Veterinary Medicine.
At Tech, Latour will serve as the university’s 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. 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.
Latour brings more than a decade of senior leadership experience at nationally ranked institutions. In addition to his service at Arkansas State, he has served as dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences at Southern Illinois University and as the inaugural associate dean for distance learning at Purdue University.
Tech President Phil Oldham said Latour’s breadth of experience positions him to make an immediate impact.
“In Dr. Latour, Tennessee Tech students and faculty are getting the total package,” said Oldham. “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.”
Oldham added that Latour is well-suited to build on the university’s strong academic foundation.
“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.”
Latour said Tech’s commitment to student success and hands-on learning made the opportunity especially compelling.
“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,” said Latour. “I look forward to collaborating with the many talented individuals across this great university as we pursue new opportunities and continue striving for excellence.”
A native of Pearl River, Louisiana, Latour holds a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Southeastern Louisiana University and both a master’s degree and doctorate from Mississippi State University in animal physiology. He also completed a National Institutes of Health fellowship at Washington University School of Medicine.
If approved by the Board of Trustees, Latour will begin his service at Tech on July 1.
Since June 2025, John Liu, vice president for research, has served as interim provost following the departure of former Provost Lori Mann Bruce. He will continue in his role as vice president for research and as a member of the university’s senior leadership team.
Learn more about the Office of the Provost at www.tntech.edu/provost.