Provost News
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Featured Photos
Catching up with Craig Fouts
Last week, Dr. Holly Anthony from Tennessee Tech, who served on the search committee for the Provost position, shared with me that someone from my hometown lives here in Cookeville.
Think about that for a moment—I grew up near the Honey Island Swamp, about 550 miles from here, in a small town with no stoplights. And somehow, someone from my hometown ended up here in Cookeville!
As it turns out, the gentleman on the left is Craig Fouts. We started kindergarten together and graduated high school together. It was fantastic to see an old friend after 40 years!
Life just keeps getting a little bit better for me. What a wonderful surprise and a great reminder of how small the world really is!
Hiking Cummins Falls
A great way to spend a Saturday morning—hiking out to see Cummins Falls with faculty, staff, and some of their children. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect, enjoy the beauty of our community, and get to know one another outside of campus.
The future is very bright at Tennessee Tech!
Academic Affairs holds annual New Faculty Orientation (NFO) for 2026
Along with welcoming new and returning students to campus, Academic Affairs held its annual New Faculty Orientation (NFO). This event covers key essentials for new faculty and for those faculty transitioning to new faculty roles. A total of 57 new or transitioning faculty were welcomed from across 24 departments representing every academic college. Orientation included sessions led by President Phil Oldham, Provost Mickey Latour, Associate Provost Bedelia Russell, Dr. Jason Beach, Director of the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, Dean Kelly McCallister from the Volpe Library, and Associate Vice-President of Research Administration Mr. Neal Hunt. Faculty were provided opportunities to network with other colleagues, department chairs, school directors, and deans through an overview of the resources available to faculty to promote their success and ultimately, the success of our students.
Meeting Allyson Farris
When Mickey A. Latour first arrived on campus as a candidate, the very first person he met was Allyson Farris. Her kindness and welcoming spirit made a lasting impression on him. Now, after one month at Tennessee Tech, Provost Latour has come to realize that kindness and compassion are not just qualities embodied by Allyson—they are part of our culture and extend throughout every corner of our campus. Today, he had the opportunity to personally thank Allyson by treating her to lunch and presenting her with a Wings of Kindness Award and a gift certificate in recognition of the positive impact she made from that very first encounter.
Meeting Students in CAS
Provost Latour had the pleasure of meeting with students over lunch during his tour of the colleges. The students spoke passionately about their experiences at Tennessee Tech, highlighting their appreciation for the university, both inside and outside the classroom. They shared how opportunities such as undergraduate research and conference travel have enriched their education and prepared them for future success.
Provost Mickey A. Latour finds a culture of kindness at Tennessee Tech New provost and VP for Academic Affairs, Mickey A. Latour, had a feeling about the
university before he ever sat down for his formal interview. Tennessee Tech recommends Mickey A. Latour as provost A 30-year veteran of higher education and a nationally recognized animal science researcher,
Latour comes to Tech from Arkansas State University.
