By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Missouri Western State University introduced its newest president this morning.
Missouri Western Board of Governors chair Lee Tieman says the board was united in elevating interim President Elizabeth Kennedy to the position permanently.
“We decided unanimously to remove the interim title from interim President Kennedy to name her and enter into a contract with her to be the next president of Missouri Western,” Tieman tells those gathered at Spratt Stadium.
Kennedy says she has been overwhelmed by the support of Missouri Western she has witnessed in the region.
“I’m eager to continue building those relationships, building partnerships, and establishing stronger collaborations for the betterment of both Missouri Western and our entire community,” Kennedy says.
Kennedy, formerly the university vice provost, was named interim president in July of last year when President Matt Wilson left the post after only a year to become dean of Temple University Japan.
Teiman says Kennedy’s work as interim president convinced the board she was the right candidate.
“Basically, Elizabeth had a six-month job interview which we believe as a board that she has excelled at and knocked out of the park,” Teiman says.
Kennedy says she never considered the term “interim” to be a hindrance.
“I’ve never viewed interim as anything other than an adjective,” Kennedy says. “I’m not a place holder. I tend to get to work. And I was thinking about this when I was on my way in, when people ask you what do you do as a president or a dean or a department chair, you just pretty much say everything. I just go to work and do what I know is best.”
Kennedy says dealing with the coronavirus pandemic presented her biggest challenge during her tenure as interim president.
“The pandemic has really tested our tolerance for ambiguity,” according to Kennedy. “We’re right now in February planning for fall, for August. What is that going to look like? If you think back to July, what was this past fall going to look like? And, keeping the campus both safe, open, operational, and engaging for our students both on the academic side as well as the collegiate experience side, that was a huge challenge.”
Kennedy has signed a three-year contract to become the 6th Missouri Western president.