Gammon Named Provost at Montana Technological University

12/19/2019

After a national search, Montana Technological University Chancellor Dr. Les Cook announced today the hiring of Dr. Steve Gammon as the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. Gammon will replace Dr. Douglas Abbott, who served in the role since January of 2007. Dr. Abbott announced his retirement in April and will return to teaching in the Business & Information Technology Department at Montana Tech.

"I'm excited to add Dr. Gammon to our executive team at Montana Tech," noted Dr. Cook. "It was very evident that he had broad campus support and was the right person for the provost position. I'm looking forward to all that we will accomplish together. I would like to thank Dr. Doug Abbott for his longstanding commitment and service to Montana Tech."

"Dr. Gammon is fully engaged in Montana Tech and is committed to building relationships and encouraging collaboration between faculty, staff, students, and the community," explained Karen VanDaveer, co-chair of the Provost search and Director of Nursing at Montana Tech.

Currently, Dr. Gammon serves as the dean of the College of Letters, Sciences, and Professional Studies at Montana Tech, a position he has held since 2018. Earlier assignments saw him as provost/vice president for academic affairs, executive vice president for collaboration and strategic alliances, academic vice president, department head, and professor.

Dr. Dan Trudnowski, co-chair of the provost search committee and dean of the Montana Tech School of Mines & Engineering, added, "The search committee reviewed over 30 very qualified applicants. In the end, Dr. Gammon's extensive background in successfully solving complex leadership problems made him stand above the rest. The committee wholeheartedly supports Dr. Gammon as the next provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at Montana Tech."

"As the chair of the faculty senate, I am looking forward to working with Dr. Gammon as the new provost at Montana Tech. He has already proven his willingness to engage with faculty in our role of shared governance. Steve will add great value to our institution and to the people who work here," said Charie Faught, chair of the Montana Tech Faculty Senate.

"During my time at Montana Tech and in Butte, I have come to discover and appreciate what an extraordinary place it is to work and live," explained Dr. Gammon. "Happily, Butte is our home. Montana Tech has done great things in serving its students and the community and will continue to do so into the future. It has been an honor to work at this university. I could not ask for a better group of colleagues and students with whom to serve, and I can think of no better opportunity than the one that lies ahead in fulfilling the legacy of educational excellence that is Montana Tech."

Gammon is the co-author of a market-leading general chemistry textbook used nationally and internationally. The book is translated into Spanish and is in its 11th Edition. He also received a national teaching award from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and was Idaho Professor of the Year in 1995. He is an avid fly fisherman and plays bassoon in the Butte Symphony. Steve and his wife Jodi, an artist and member of the Main Stope Gallery, have recently joined the Butte Uptown Ukes, a Ukulele group.

Gammon will begin the transition to the provost on January 1, 2020, and will be fully on board on February 1, 2020.