Duane Nellis

M. Duane Nellis

Nellis in 2013
16th President of
Texas Tech University
In office
June 13, 2013 – January 22, 2016
Preceded by Guy Bailey
Succeeded by John Opperman (interim)
17th President of the
University of Idaho
In office
July 2009 – May 2013
Preceded by Timothy White
Succeeded by Chuck Staben
Personal details
Born July 26, 1954 (1954-07-26) (age 62)
Spokane, Washington
Spouse(s) Ruthie Nellis
Children 2 sons
Residence Lubbock, Texas
Alma mater Montana State University,
B.S. 1976
Oregon State University,
M.S. 1977, Ph.D. 1980
Profession Higher Education Administrator and Geographer
Website www.geosciences.ttu.edu/people/nellis.php

Marvin Duane Nellis is an American educator, and the former president of Texas Tech University. He was previously president of the University of Idaho,[1][2] provost and senior vice president at Kansas State University, and dean of the Eberly College of Arts and Science at West Virginia University.

Nellis announced his resignation from the Texas Tech presidency on January 8, 2016. The university later announced that he would continue on as a tenured university honors professor and work on university strategic initiatives.

Early life and education

Born in Spokane, Washington, Nellis was raised in northwestern Montana and graduated from Libby High School in 1972,[3] and attended Montana State University in Bozeman. He earned a bachelor's degree in earth sciences/geography in 1976 and attended graduate school at Oregon State University in Corvallis, earning a master's in geography in 1977 and a Ph.D. in geography in 1980.[4][5] Nellis wrote his doctoral dissertation on remote sensing in water resource management.[6]

Academic career

After graduate school, Nellis has worked for over 30 years in various progressive administrative roles at Kansas State University, West Virginia University, University of Idaho,[7] and Texas Tech University.[8] At Kansas State, Nellis was a department head, Associate Dean, and after returning from West Virginia (where he served as dean of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences), served as provost and Senior Vice President from 2004 until his departure for the university presidency at Idaho in 2009. He became president of Texas Tech in June 2013.

Nellis' research has focused on geographic information systems and remote sensing, and he is internationally recognized for his work in this area, including receiving numerous university, national and international teaching, research and advising awards, and serving as president (2002-2003) of the Association of American Geographers,[8] President of the National Council for Geographic Education (1993-1994), and President of Gammma Theta Upsilon, The International Honor Geographical Society (1999-2000).

University of Idaho

While at Idaho (2009–2013), Nellis led a major $225 million capital campaign,[9] oversaw over $80 million in campus facility improvements, created the President’s Diversity Council, enhanced what became a nationally award winning engagement effort through creation of the Office for Community Partnerships, improved major inter-disciplinary initiatives, and significantly improved business partnerships between the university and business and commodity groups in Idaho and throughout the northwest.[10]

While president at the University of Idaho, Nellis was a member of the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee.[11]

As a nationally recognized higher education leader, Nellis has served as a commissioner for the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities (one of 8 nationally recognized accreditation bodies).[12] He also served as a Governor-appointed commissioner of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, which coordinates higher education efforts for the 15 western states, and has been involved in various national committees for the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU).[13] Since 2014, Nellis has been a trustee of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Texas Tech

Nellis was announced as the sole finalist for the presidency of Texas Tech University on March 1, 2013.[14] According to news reports, he was recruited for the position, and had not applied.[15] On March 22, the Texas Tech Board of Regents unanimously confirmed him as the university's next president, starting June 15.[16]

Since his arrival, Nellis has promoted moving Texas Tech University forward toward higher levels of national prominence as a major public research university. He has advocated for continued quality enrollment growth (including stronger advocacy for national and international student recognition), accelerated research expenditures and faculty recognitions, creating a more engaged institution while promoting industry and community partnerships, with a commitment toward global connections and creativity while seeking external revenue sources to invest in the university enterprise.[17] Under Nellis' leadership, Texas Tech was named in 2014 an APLU Innovation and Economic Prosperity University. Texas Tech also achieved Tier One Carniege Designation for the highest research category at the conclusion of his presidential term.[18]

Following a candidacy for the presidency at the University of Wyoming, during which he expressed frustration about Texas Tech's governance structure, Nellis announced his resignation from the Texas Tech presidency on January 8, 2016.[19]

Awards and honors

Personal life

Nellis met his wife Ruthie as an undergraduate at Montana State. She was from Pennsylvania[20] and became a librarian. As a librarian, she oversaw a science library at Kansas State, and the medical school library at West Virginia. She also worked in K-State's commercialization initiative, and was project manager on several major library building projects at West Virginia. Married in 1975, the couple has two sons, Jonathan and Jason.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Prentice, George (July 20, 2011). "M. Duane Nellis: Not many people know what the M. stands for". Boise Weekly. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
  2. ↑ Olson, Jeff (Spring 2009). "The Nellis Era has begun". Here We Have Idaho. (University of Idaho): 19.
  3. ↑ Gerstenecker, Alan Lewis (April 9, 2013). "LHS grad to lead Texas Tech". The Western News. Libby, MT. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  4. ↑ https://www.ttu.edu/administration/president/biography.php
  5. ↑ May, Cheryl (February 20, 2004). "M. Duane Nellis returns to Kansas State as Provost". Science Blog. Kansas State University. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  6. ↑ Nellis, Martin Duane (1980). Water management in the North Deschutes unit irrigation district: geographic perspectives and remote sensing applications (Ph.D.). Oregon State University. OCLC 9186062.
  7. ↑ "Duane Nellis - Department of Geography, University of Idaho". University of Idaho. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 "Texas Tech University :: Office of the President". Texas Tech University. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "Inspiring Futures: Invest in the University of Idaho". University of Idaho. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  10. ↑ Report to the Board of Regents, April 2013 (unpublished).
  11. ↑ Staples, Andy (8 March 2012). "Idaho president Duane Nellis on college football playoff". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  12. ↑ "Commissioners". NWCCU. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  13. ↑ "New Commissioners". WICHE. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  14. ↑ Hoover, Brittany (1 March 2013). "Duane Nellis named sole finalist for Texas Tech presidency". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  15. ↑ Macz, Brandon (2 March 2013). "Nellis moseying to Texas Tech". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
  16. ↑ Hoover, Brittany (22 March 2013). "M. Duane Nellis officially named next Texas Tech president". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  17. ↑ "Inauguration Celebrates President Nellis, Texas Tech Future". Texas Tech Today. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  18. ↑ Cook, Chris (February 2, 2016). "Texas Tech achieves Tier One Carnegie Designation". Texas Tech Today. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
  19. ↑ Watkins, Mathew. "Texas Tech University President Duane Nellis Stepping Down". Texas Tribune. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  20. ↑ Ursch, Blake (July 20, 2013). "Nellis settles in to life at Tech". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
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