Russellville, Ark. Educator Named Vice Provost for Academic Programs at UCM

By Jeff Murphy, November 21, 2019

WARRENSBURG, MO – Filling a position that is critical to student learning at the University of Central Missouri, Dr. Lisa Toms, Russellville, Arkansas, has been named vice provost for Academic Programs and Services. She begins her new responsibilities at UCM on Jan. 2, 2020.

Dr. Phillip Bridgmon, provost and vice president for academic affairs at UCM, made the hiring announcement today, noting, “Dr. Toms is a highly regarded academic leader with a record of accomplishments in strategic program development, accreditation, and fundraising. Her commitments to collegial shared governance and supporting her colleagues will serve us well as we implement our new strategic plan elements. We look forward to her joining us in January.”

Toms currently serves as professor of marketing at Arkansas Tech University where she also served as dean of the College of Business from 2017-2019. Prior to that, she was employed for approximately 19 years at Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, where from 1998 to 2017 she climbed the academic ranks from assistant professor to professor of marketing. She served as dean of the David F. Rankin College of Business; director of the Master of Business Administration program; chair of the Department of Management, Marketing, and MIS; coordinator of University Assessment, director of Institutional Research, and internal auditor.

As vice provost, Toms provides leadership for academic programs, services to students, and the facilitation of the academic and professional life of the faculty. Offices that report to the vice provost are University Assessment, Career Services Center, Graduate Education and Research, the Honors College, the McNair Scholars Program, Military and Veterans Services, Sponsored Programs and Research Integrity, Testing Services, Undergraduate Research and Veterans Upward Bound.

“The University of Central Missouri has a reputation for collegiality and excellence. I look forward to joining the faculty and staff and contributing to the academic programs and services there,” Toms said about her appointment.

Throughout her career, Toms has taught a wide variety of business-type courses, including electronic marketing, international business and strategic marketing, which were part of an MBA program, She is experienced in grant writing and has a long history of scholarly work, which has appeared as refereed journal articles, professional contributions to books, and as presentation topics at professional conferences.

Toms earned a bachelor’s degree at Southern Arkansas University, Master of Business Administration and Education Doctor of Business Administration at Louisiana Tech University, Ruston.