CON V ERGING CA MPUS & COMMU NIT Y
NORTHWEST MISSOURIAN
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2025
MARYVILLE, MISSOURI
NWMISSOURINEWS.COM
VOL. 114, NO. 6
@THEMISSOURIAN
University leadership continues search for provost ANNA BAILEY News Editor | @AmBailey16
NATHAN NODA PHOTO EDITOR
Newly-appointed Northwest Board of Regents member Leisha Barry is welcomed during its meeting Oct. 24. Barry is a retired client services vice president for Cerner Corporation and previously served as president of the Northwest Foundation Board.
Northwest’s Newest Board of Regents gains 2 members
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ANNA BAILEY News Editor | @AmBailey16
or the Northwest Board of Regents, 2025 has consisted of multiple position transitions. There are two new members who have taken on positions, continuing the Board’s transitions for the year. Regent Steve Black was appointed to the Board in March, while the newest regent, Leisha Barry, was appointed in October. Both members are Northwest alum. Board of Regents Chair Mel Tjeerdsma said by being an alum, those members already have their personal feelings about Northwest, which helps them become great members. “They have to have a passion for Northwest, and I think that’s where it all starts,” Tjeerdsma said. “They have to be objective. Sometimes we deal with things that we don’t all agree on, but we have to be a team…I just think that those are some things that I think are just really critical for a board to be a good, functioning board.” Tjeerdsma said within Black’s first seven months, he has become well involved. He said Black has been a great team player and has also taken on being the chairman of the people, finance and operations committee. Outside of his Board position, Black is a business consultant and cattle and grain
farmer. Tjeerdsma said the Board has benefited from Black’s knowledge of and background in business. “He handles that responsibility very well,” Tjeerdsma said. “We’ve been dealing with budget items, and he’s got a really good background in finance and budgets; and so his contributions there are very important for us as well.” Similar to Black, Barry also has unique experience she can bring to the position on the Board of Regents. Barry is a retired client services vice president for Cerner Corporation and previously served as president of the Northwest Foundation Board. Barry said she became interested in joining the Board of Regents while on the Northwest Foundation Board. During this time, she said she noticed the importance of the Board of Regents to the University. She said she is looking forward to growing while serving as regent. “I’m excited about being able to participate and understand the strategic direction of Northwest and the continuation of that university as a cornerstone in the Northwest corner of Missouri with the programs that it offers,” Barry said. Tjeerdsma said he is excited about Barry’s appointment to the Board. He said the Board of Regents members have been able
to get to know Barry through her work with the Northwest Foundation. Barry had been on the Northwest Foundation Board since 2017. She said when she became a member, the Forever Green Campaign was in the process of completion. The Forever Green Campaign was a philanthropic initiative to improve four components within Northwest — student life, scholarship, academic excellence and the investment of Northwest — according to the Give to Northwest page of the University website. “It was exciting to see the wrap up of that campaign with success, including the Ag (Agricultural) Learning Center, the (Carl and Cheryl) Hughes Fieldhouse — just to name a couple things — in addition to the amount that was raised for scholarships,” Barry said. Barry’s appointment will become official once she is confirmed by the Missouri Senate. Tjeerdsma said Barry has good instincts and has always been very thorough in her actions. He said he expects she will be a great fit for the Board. “There’s no doubt that what she really cares about is what we can do as a Board to make Northwest Missouri State University better,” Tjeerdsma said. “That’s what we’re looking for, so we’re really excited to have her.”
Split into three sessions, stakeholders in the Northwest community had the opportunity to give feedback regarding the search for the new Northwest provost Nov. 4. Anthem Academics, a hiring firm for higher education, was chosen to assist in the search for the next Northwest provost. Its parent firm, Anthem Executive, was used while the University sought its current president, Lance Tatum. Along with Anthem Academics, Tatum and the provost search committee will work together to determine who will fill the position. The first provost listening session was held 11 a.m. to noon in the Administration Building and was open to any students, faculty and staff. Following this were two more sessions, one specifically for staff from 2-3 p.m. and the third for students from 3-4 p.m. Co-founders and partners with Anthem Executive Michael Ballew and Mike JR Wheless attended each of these sessions, during which they asked multiple questions to receive feedback from the attendees. “We are now on-site today, talking with constituent groups, doing these town hall meetings to identify traits and characteristics that we want to look for in the next provost,” Ballew said. “We’re continuing to build the profile of that individual.” Ballew said the market to speak with potential candidates is open, and Anthem will narrow down the slate of possible position holders prior to presenting to the search committee. Following this, the committee will review the candidates and further reduce the number down before conducting video interviews. From the video interviews, the committee will decide its recommended candidates and share this list with Tatum, who will make the final decision.
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Positions filled for UPD, officer talks community RYAN KING Missourian Reporter l @TheMissourian
The Board of Regents approved the hiring of four first responders during the course of the first semester in an effort to increase campus security. The department had multiple job opportunities open for those interested in working in a school environment. With these new hirings came three new officers and a new dispatcher. Lt. Marcus Holmes is the newest member to the force the Board approved this semester. Earlier this fall, officers Jason Weir and Tanner McKinney were appointed alongside dispatcher Cole Schmidt. McKinney, who is from Maryville, said he grew up on the Northwest campus, and the experiences with Bearcat
students influenced a lot of his younger life. McKinney said these moments shaped who he has become today. “I always wanted to be an officer; it was in my family,” McKinney said. “UPD was hiring, and their culture lined up with who I was as an individual, so it was a really great match.” McKinney, who started his police work for the University around late 2022, said he was ready to start making an impact as an officer on campus as soon as possible. The department did just that as they were on campus helping students on Freshman Move-In Day. University Police Chief Amanda Cullin, who has headed the department since mid- 2024, said she is elated for students to engage with the new faces.
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NATHAN NODA PHOTO EDITOR
Northwest University Police Department Lt. Marcus Holmes is one of the three newly hired officers in the department. The UPD hopes students can feel comfortable expressing any concerns or issues.
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