Northern names new provost

Havre Daily News staff

Montana State University-Northern announced it has hired Neil Moisey as provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs, second-in-command of the university under Chancellor Greg Kegel and the person in charge of all academic issues.

Moisey, who officially starts Dec. 1, is taking the place of William Rugg, who started in Feburary 2014 and retired June 30 this year.

"Dr. Moisey has a long academic history in Montana and will be able to hit the ground running to help us with issues like workload, pathways and retention," Kegel said in a release announcing the hiring. "Dr. Moisey expressed his excitement in helping me move forward our strategic initiatives including expanding stand-out programs."

"This is an exciting time as Northern is poised to take full advantage of its location, to deliver the critical academic programs that strengthen the economy along the Hi-Line and beyond, and to fulfill its mission to be 'an institution dedicated to teaching and the pursuit of knowledge,'" Moisey said.  "I look forward to engaging with faculty, students, staff, local communities, employers, the legislative delegation and tribal colleges to assist in these efforts."

Moisey was one of four candidates found through a search conducted by an outside company.

The other candidates were Elizabeth Mauch, a professor and former dean at the College of Education at Bloomburg University in Pennsylvania; John Pratte, a physics professor and former dean of the College of Mathematics at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro; and Le Gene Quesenberry, interim president of the American University in Nigeria.

Moisey is the core curriculum director for the HealthCare Montana, TAACCCT IV grant at the University of Montana. He oversaw the creation of common health care core curriculum for both administrative and clinical certificates and degrees with the 15-campus consortium.

He served as the deputy commissioner for academic research and student affairs for the Montana University System, overseeing activities, planning, analysis and accountability reporting for the Montana Board of Regents. He also worked in the system office as the special assistant for academic affairs, during which time he chaired the Executive Committee of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education Academic Leadership Forum. 

Prevoiusly, Moisey was a tenured professor in the College of Forestry and Conservation at the University of Montana. Over the course of his career, Moisey was successful in securing $1,920,095 in grants.

He started working with the Montana University System back in 1988 as a graduate research assistant in the School of Forestry at the University on Montana, and received his doctorate in forestry from the University of Montana.

Moisey also taught in tenure -track positions at the University of Wyoming and the University of Missouri.

Moisey co-authored a book with Steve McCool, titled "Tourism, Recreation and Sustainability: Linking Culture and the Environment." He has also written numerous articles on tourism, the environment, and natural resource management.  

"I want to thank Dr. Larry Strizich for filling in as interim provost while the search was being conducted," Kegel said.  "Dr. Strizich has done an excellent job keeping things moving forward."

Strizich now will return to his role as Dean of Northern's College of Technical Sciences.