West Texas A&M administration has hired a new student affairs  Vice President to over see the Code of students, Emergency notifications, Student Honors, Notary and Student judicial affairs and student fee committee. This department allows student’s to be empowered to become an informed, responsible, creative and articulate decision maker.
The Prairie: “Can you tell me a little about what you did before becoming the Vice President?”
Mike Knox: “For the last seven years, I was the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of Texas at Arlington. I oversee orientation programs, international education, study abroad, multicultural affairs, the parent and family center, disability services and student media. Before that, I worked at a small college in Louisville, Kentucky called Bellarmine University for 5 years and I was also at the University of Kentucky prior to that. However, I am a native Texan. I grew up in Coleman, TX and my undergraduate degree is from Texas A&M in College Station.”
The Prairie: “What attracted you to the job?”
Mike Knox: “There were many things that did. For me, this just seemed like a great intersection of professional and personal fit. Professionally, I felt like I was ready for the new challenges associated with leading a division. And more importantly, I was so impressed by the student-centered approach that permeates campus at WT. At many places, you might see the word “student-centered” in one or two places in a mission statement or online. Here, it appears everywhere. And then when you start to talk to people, not just in student affairs, you sense it is genuine. I was very motivated to work in an environment like that. Lastly, there is a strong focus on student success, retention, and graduation, and I feel like that is an area where I have something to offer. Then on the personal side, well, I loved growing up in a small Texas town. I have always told my wife that I would love to return to one, but most colleges are in cities. A community like Canyon was a great fit for my family and we are excited to become a part of the Canyon community.”
The Prairie: “What is your philosophy? (How are you thinking about leading this school year?)”
Mike Knox: “Well, I’d like to think I am pretty adaptable. I plan to spend some time getting to know the culture and the people in the division, and then start developing plans for the way we will operate. I am a strong believe that you have to create an organizational culture from within that supports a great work environment and a collaborative, can-do spirit. That is not something that a leader can dictate successfully, it needs to flow up. So I will lead the division in conversations about how we will work together, and how we will work with others, and then we will get to work putting in solutions to things as we go. It is very clear from President O’Brien and the senior leaders on campus that student success and retention/graduation rates are the problems we need to solve. There are lots of things that the division of student affairs can do to support that work.”
The Prairie: “What are your expectations for the coming years?”
Mike Knox: “I am looking forward to just diving in and learning all about the history and traditions of the school, getting to know students, and becoming an active member of the Canyon community. I have every intention of sticking around for as long as people want me here. This work is challenging and it is fun, so I am looking forward to all that lies ahead.”
The Prairie: “What will be your main focus this semester?”
Mike Knox: “Understanding the culture of the university and learning where the division of student affairs can have the biggest impact is my primary goal. There are a couple of key vacancies in positions that we are working to fill. We will be posting an Assistant Vice President position to oversee our student conduct processes and advise student government soon, and the next priority will be filling the vacancy in Student Engagement and Leadership. We also have some work to do with the residence halls which is exciting, because we are going to be very close to full this year and we expect to freshman class to continue to grow. I am also interested in working with the division to increase its focus on assessment and data so that we can make the best decisions for campus in the future.”
The Prairie: “What are some insecurities you have about this job? Why?”
Mike Knox: “I don’t really have any specific insecurity, but anytime you go someplace new, you have to navigate a new and different organizational culture. Everyone has been so welcoming and willing to assist in anyway which has made the beginning of that process easier. I guess I was a little nervous about getting “branded” until I found out it was just ink.”