Lang Named Interim Provost

Paul Lang has been appointed interim provost at Northern Michigan University. His term will begin June 2 and run through June 30, 2012. Lang has worked at NMU since 1997, most recently as dean of the College of Professional Studies.

In making the announcement, President Les Wong added that a committee will be formed this summer to search for a permanent replacement for Susan Koch, who is leaving NMU to serve as chancellor at the University of Illinois-Springfield.  

“Paul's leadership of the College of Professional Studies has been exceptional,” said Wong. “His responsibility for the Jacobetti Center programs and some of our largest baccalaureate programs—nursing, criminal justice and teacher certification—gives him exceptional awareness and knowledge of the breadth and depth of our academic effort. He also served on the administration bargaining team with the AAUP and NMUFA faculty unions. I have considerable confidence in Paul to sustain, if not improve, the momentum occurring in our academic areas.”

Lang joined NMU as a professor of criminal justice and head of the department. In addition to those responsibilities, he was appointed associate dean of the College of Professional Studies in 2002. He later served as interim head and director of the School of Technology and Applied Sciences before his promotion to college dean.

“Frankly, I’m honored and humbled to have been chosen,” Lang said. “They’re putting a lot of confidence in me and I’m going to live up to it. There is a lot of work to be done and I intend to do it and do it well. There’s also a lot for me to learn. I plan to spend the next month or two educating myself and getting comfortable in the position. Fortunately, there are a lot of people I can depend on for good information to make that task easier.”

Lang has represented NMU in several community partnership programs. He is on the line tech program advisory board, working closely with the Lake Superior Community Partnership Foundation and regional power company officials. He also serves as the university’s representative with the Michigan Works! job development program and is a member of the U.P. steering committee for the Michigan Prisoner Release Initiative.