Dr. Melinda Arnold to be Recommended as Next Chancellor of UT Southern

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Dr. Melinda Arnold, special assistant to the president at Texas A&M University–Texarkana, will be recommended by University of Tennessee System President Randy Boyd to serve as the next chancellor of the University of Tennessee Southern.

The UT Board of Trustees will consider Boyd’s recommendation at a special meeting to be held in the coming weeks . Pending board approval, Arnold’s first day as chancellor will be July 1.

“One of the most important responsibilities I have as president is hiring outstanding people to lead our campuses and institutes,” Boyd said. “Dr. Arnold is the right person at the right time to lead UT Southern. She brings energy, experience, and a deep commitment to student success. I’m confident she will be a transformative leader for the campus.”

A proven higher education leader with more than two decades of experience, Arnold has served in a variety of academic leadership roles focused on expanding access, launching high-demand academic programs and driving enrollment growth. At Texas A&M University–Texarkana, she previously held the role of provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, where her leadership led to record enrollment gains, enhanced student support services and millions in external funding. She also served as provost at Montana State University Billings and held academic roles at the University of North Texas at Dallas and East Texas A&M University. Her background also includes leadership positions in criminal justice organizations and extensive experience with grant writing and policy development.

Arnold holds a doctorate and master’s in criminal justice from Rutgers University, a master’s in liberal studies from Northwestern University, and a bachelor’s in philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin. She is also a graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Institute for Educational Management.

The UT Southern chancellor serves as the chief executive officer of the campus, reporting directly to the UT System president, and is a member of the UT System leadership team. The chancellor is responsible for promoting academic excellence, overseeing strategic initiatives and leading efforts related to student success, fiscal stewardship, community engagement, and institutional growth.