Interim president Larry Minks named permanent president at Southeastern

Press Release Date: 01-21-2010

DURANT, Okla. – The Board of Regents of the Regional University System of Oklahoma (RUSO) today named interim president Dr. Larry Minks as the permanent president of Southeastern Oklahoma State University.

Minks has served as interim president at Southeastern since July 1, 2009.

“Over the past six months, Dr. Minks has provided extraordinary leadership as interim president of Southeastern,’’ said Regent Jan Gordon, chair of the RUSO Board. “During that time, the University has, among other things, developed an effective strategic plan, experienced significant enrollment increases, and solidified working relationships with external constituencies. We believe that President Minks has the experience, the vision, and the commitment needed to continue to move the University forward.’’

“I want to thank the board of regents for their show of support and vote of confidence,’’ Minks said. “For me, the past six months have been an exciting and challenging time. The success that we have experienced is due to the dedicated efforts of our faculty and staff. Our students, alumni, and community have been supportive and offered encouragement during this time as well. As I’ve said before, we are at a very critical time in the history of the University -- critical, but at the same time, exciting. Exciting because we have the opportunity to renew, revitalize, and reinvigorate Southeastern as we move forward together. Joan (wife) and I are honored to be a part of the Southeastern family and we are excited about the future here.’’

Prior to coming to Southeastern in 2008, Minks was Vice President for Academic Affairs at Rogers State University in Claremore. He has more than 35 years of higher education administrative/teaching experience, including two previous stints at Southeastern: from 1976-81, Minks was Assistant Professor of Business Administration and Management; from 1981-83 he was Director of the Center for Organizational Effectiveness and Associate Professor of Business Administration and Management; and from 1996-99, he served as Chair and Professor of the Management and Marketing Department, as well as MBA Program Director.

Minks joined Rogers State in 1999, where he served as Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs/Instruction and then Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs.

He has also held teaching/administrative positions at Ohio Northern University, Longwood University (Virginia), and Brescia University (Kentucky).

Minks earned his doctorate in Business Teaching at the University of Northern Colorado and his M.B.A. and B.B.A. in Business at Eastern New Mexico University.

Minks is a graduate of the 2009 Institute for Educational Management (IEM) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.