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Missouri State University welcomed to the Springfield campus its first finalist for the position of president. Dr. Thomas Keon is vying for the position, along with three other finalists whose names the university has not yet announced. As KSMU’s Missy Shelton reports, there was a large turnout for an open forum with the first finalist.
The Plaster Student Union Theater was nearly full as Dr. Thomas Keon took questions from the audience on a wide range of issues including how to increase the diversity of the staff and faculty, how to deal with state budget cuts, and the possibility of Missouri State faculty unionizing.Keon is dean of the College of Business Administration at the University of Central Florida. Earlier in his career, he worked for nine years as a faculty member and administrator at the University of Missouri-Columbia. In an interview with KSMU, he said he’s seeking to be president of Missouri State in part, because of what he learned about the university during his time at Mizzou.
Keon says, “Missouri State, I always considered as really the next university in the state from Mizzou. So, when I saw the opportunity of being able to come here, it was really exciting. I know how strongly the Springfield community feels about Missouri State, so it makes for a wonderful opportunity.”
The next president of Missouri State will deal with the impact of the state’s ongoing budget problems. Coming from a public university in Florida, Keon says he’s well-equipped for this challenge.
Keon says, “Those of us in the state of Florida would say you’ve got a lot to learn about budget cuts. We have experienced in excess of 26 percent budget cuts. I’ve been working with that with my faculty and within the university setting. So, I think I’ve learned an awful lot. I believe that I’ve lived through experiences that would help me come and work with the faculty, the administration, and the board, to successfully go through this next period.”
During the public forum on the Springfield campus, Keon talked about what his priorities would be if he became the 10th president of Missouri State University.
Keon says, “You describe yourself in very broad, general terms, which is great. I think you’re providing lots of strong activities for students, particularly in terms of public affairs and public service. And I think there are a lot of good relationships that have been built with the Springfield community but I’d like to focus some attention on academic programs.”
The next finalist for Missouri State president will be in Springfield this Thursday and will participate in an open forum that day at 3:30PM at Plaster Student Union Theater.
