Augustana University new interim provost to take over this June

Morgan Matzen, Sioux Falls Argus Leader
·2 min read

Joel Johnson, chair of social science and professor of government and international affairs at Augustana University, has been named the interim provost and will start his new role this June.

Johnson will take the place of current provost and executive vice president Colin Irvine, who is leaving to take the helm of Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota as president July 1. The incoming provost will serve in an interim capacity for two years.

Joel Johnson has been named interim provost by Augustana University President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, and will begin serving in his new role in June of 2023.
Joel Johnson has been named interim provost by Augustana University President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, and will begin serving in his new role in June of 2023.

“I am deeply honored to be named interim provost at this exciting moment in Augustana’s history,” Johnson said in a statement. “I am eager to partner with the members of Augustana’s exceptional faculty, staff and administration in providing an education that empowers students to enter this changing world with courage, compassion and wisdom.”

More:Augustana provost named president of Concordia College in Minnesota

Johnson is also the Sanford Health Peter Schotten Distinguished Professor of Government & International Affairs and previously served as the university's chair of the department of government & international affairs. He was also named to the Stanley L. Olsen Chair of Moral Values and advised the department’s honors program and government club.

Additionally, Johnson served on the Steering Committee for Academic Affairs, helping develop the university’s Viking Bold: The Journey to 2030 strategic plan. He co-chaired the Viking Flex Plan Academics Working Group, which helped navigate the university through the COVID-19 pandemic. He is also a member of the president’s council and helps develop and implement key academic initiatives, faculty priorities and university policies.

Augustana president Stephanie Herseth Sandlin named Johnson to the role and said in a statement that he’s a renowned scholar and well-respected leader within the Augustana community.

“He will bring trusted and valuable experience, insight and ideas, as well as the innovative mindset so important to successfully achieving the goals set forth in our Viking Bold strategic plan as we navigate the complexities of higher education today,” Sandlin said in a statement. “I am excited about what lies ahead and grateful for Dr. Johnson’s commitment to serve the university in this essential role.”

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Joel Johnson to replace Colin Irvine at Augustana in interim role