NKU announces new provost

NKU President Ashish Vaidya announced Dr. Matt Cecil as the new Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs (PEVPAA) in a campus-wide email today. This will go into effect July 1. 

Cecil currently works at Minnesota State University, Mankato as Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. 

“Our two institutions align in how we serve our student populations and our missions. This is one of the many reasons why I feel Matt is the ideal person to serve as our next Provost,” Vaidya said in the email. 

Cecil previously served as Minnesota State’s Dean of the College of the Arts and Universities before his previous role as Interim Provost for four years. He has worked at other universities, including South Dakota State University, Wichita State University, Purdue University and the University of Oklahoma. 

Cecil worked previously as a journalist, political press secretary and corporate media relations specialist. Currently, he is a median historian. 

“This diverse background provides a broad perspective that complements Matt’s extensive higher education experience and sets him up well to lead NKU’s academic enterprise,” Vaidya said in the email.

Ande Durojaiye, who has been serving as Interim Provost and Executive President of Academic Affairs, will continue his role until June 30. 

“Matt joins an NKU community ready to navigate a post-pandemic world… We are committed to our vision of becoming nationally recognized as a student-ready, regionally engaged university that empowers diverse learners for economic and social mobility. I look forward to working with Matt to help deliver that promise,” Vaidya said in the email.