M. Duane Nellis has officially been named as the 16th president of Texas Tech University.

The Texas Tech University System Board of Regents gave final approval to Nellis on Friday, March 22nd, as recommended by Chancellor Kent Hance.

Nellis was named as the sole finalist on March 1st. He will be officially introduced at a news conference at 2 p.m. Monday, March 25th in the City Bank Room of the United Spirit Arena.

“After an extensive search for qualified applicants, Dr. Nellis is the clear candidate to build upon Texas Tech University’s recent success,” said Hance. “I am proud to introduce him as president, and I look forward to an exciting new chapter for our university.”

Nellis currently holds the position of president of the University of Idaho, which is Idaho’s premier land-grant research university and flagship institution. He has served in that position since July 2009, and secured record student enrollments, as well as spearheading the university’s largest fundraising campaign.

“I am honored to accept the position of president at Texas Tech University,” said Nellis. “The current momentum is truly impressive, and I look forward to working with our students, faculty, staff, and community to continue the university’s progress and growth.

Nellis will begin as president on June 15th. He has previously served as a commissioner for the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities, senior vice president at Kansas State University, and dean of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in earth sciences/geography from Montana State University, and received his master’s and doctoral degrees in geography from Oregon State University.

Nellis succeeds Tech Interim President Lawrence Schovanec, who has served in the position since former President Guy Bailey resigned from the position in August 2012.

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