University of Central Arkansas President Houston Davis has announced that Dr. Michael Hargis will serve as interim provost effective August 1, 2017. Dr. Hargis will also continue his role as dean of the College of Business.
A national search for provost will be conducted as the 2017 fall semester begins. At the conclusion of the national search, Dr. Hargis will resume his role as dean of the College of Business.
“I am very appreciative of Dr. Hargis’ willingness to serve in this critical role as we conduct a national search for provost,” said President Davis. “His leadership and guidance will ensure that we continue to progress toward our goals of student success and retention and allow the university to capitalize on new opportunities in the interim.”
Dr. Michael Hargis came to UCA in fall 2006 as an assistant professor of management. He was named interim dean of the College of Business in 2013 and was appointed dean in 2014. Before coming to UCA, he was an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. Dr. Hargis has served in a number of different faculty and administrative roles during his tenure at UCA including dean, interim associate dean, residential college rector, and associate professor in the department of marketing and management. His research has been published in journals such as Personnel Psychology, Journal of Managerial Issues, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Organizational Development Journal and Human Relations. Dr. Hargis currently serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Organizational Behavior and the Journal of Business and Psychology. In addition, he serves on several regional and state advisory boards.
Dr. Hargis earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Hendrix College, a master of arts degree in industrial/organizational psychology and a Ph.D. from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. He lives in Conway with his wife Jessica and their two children, Matthew and Emma.
