The university’s new provost said he wants to develop student internships and study abroad programs, while helping create a multi-year vision for the university.
Dr. Kent Buchanan took office as the university’s new provost and vice president for academic affairs in December, following an 18-month search for the position.
A university search committee began looking for a provost after Dr. Susan Barber retired from the position in June 2015. Officials announced in 2016 that their first search did not yield a hire and that they would continue searching, according to Student Publications archives. Buchanan, who was serving as the interim provost at the time, applied for the position during the first search, according to the archives.
Buchanan served as the assistant provost since 2012 until becoming the interim provost in July 2015. Before coming to OCU in 2006, he was a professor at Tulane University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans.
The duties of a provost vary at every university. At OCU, the provost serves as the chief academic officer, overseeing all schools and colleges, academic programs, student recruitment and retention, and faculty development.
Before moving to the provost’s office, Buchanan was a biology professor and served as chairman of the biology department. He said he loves OCU.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my 10-and-a-half years at OCU,” Buchanan said. “I’ve made some great friends, and I think the atmosphere and the environment is incredible. Everybody just loves to be here, and it’s just like another family.”
Buchanan said he has some new goals as provost.
“I want to really help the different schools and the deans to develop more internships so our students are doing things off campus, and they’re getting that real-life application,” he said. “I also want to develop a means to make it easier for our students to study abroad.”
Buchanan and members of the Strategic Planning Steering Committee are also working to develop a vision for the university for the years to come, he said. Nic Rhodes, Student Government Association president, is on the committee.
“Working with Dr. Buchanan is an incredible opportunity,” Rhodes said. “It’s easy to tell in each and every meeting that he cares deeply about the students and wants what is best for both the university and the students. I truly believe he was the best choice for the provost position, and I’m glad the search committee made the decision that they did.”
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