June 30, 2025
University of Missouri Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Matthew Martens will begin a term as chair of the Southeastern Conference Provosts group on July 1.
The SEC Provosts are administrators of the SEC Academic Leadership Development Program, the SEC Faculty Achievement Awards, the SEC Faculty Travel Program and other academic-focused activities. Members meet monthly via video conference during the academic year, along with an annual in-person meeting.
Martens is a former fellow and campus liaison of the SEC Academic Leadership Development Program, one of the SEC’s premier academic initiatives designed to prepare faculty and administrators for senior leadership roles within academia.
Martens was appointed Mizzou’s chief academic officer in June 2024, following a brief term as interim provost. In this role, he oversees the university’s academic enterprise, providing support to deans, faculty and students to ensure excellence in teaching, research and engagement.
Before becoming provost, Martens served as senior vice provost from 2021 to 2024 and associate provost for academic programs from 2016 to 2021. He led the development of the university’s current strategic plan and was instrumental in implementing MizzouForward, a transformational initiative focused on faculty excellence, infrastructure growth and student success. He helped lead a faculty hiring initiative that has brought more than 75 top researchers to campus. He also directed Mizzou’s academic response to the COVID-19 pandemic and guided the university through a successful re-accreditation process. His academic expertise is in health psychology, with a focus on addictive behaviors.
