As a state comprehensive university leader,
Dr. Lawrence (Larry) Gould has been one of the most well-known and respected chief academic officers in the 430 member American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU).  Larry (as he likes to be called) served as Provost/Chief Academic Officer at Fort Hays State University (FHSU) in central Kansas for over 15 years. While at FHSU, he served as a faculty member and now chair of the Department of Political Science, founding Director of the Docking Institute of Public Affairs, president of the Faculty Senate, Executive Assistant to the President and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.  Larry previously taught at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and was a research associate with the Centre for Foreign Policy Studies at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, Canada. His educational background includes a Ph.D. in political science/international relations from Purdue University in 1979, a master’s degree in political science from Eastern New Mexico University in 1973 and a BA in history from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in 1971.

Whether playing a key role in the development of the FHSU domestic distance learning environment, initiating the internationalization of the campus or organizing the university’s participation in the Higher Learning Commission’s alternate regional accreditation track known as the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP), Larry has been a leader in using innovation to help transform FHSU into one of the country’s most successful state comprehensive universities.  His bold thinking has been instrumental in creating and managing the university’s distance learning dual degree programming in China and Turkey. As an entrepreneurial and enthusiastic representative of FHSU, Larry believes it is important to be visible and engaged at the state and national levels.  This approach adds value to the FHSU brand and opens new opportunities for faculty and students.  Accordingly, he has accepted invitations to serve on the Executive Board of the Network for Change and Continuous Innovation (NCCI), the Implementation Board for the American Democracy and Red Balloon projects and spent 15 years involved in AASCU proceedings and initiatives.  His recent publications include articles on leadership, distance education and academic quality work initiatives.  Larry’s success as an administrative and academic servant is why he has been the recipient of three prominent national awards for provosts and engaged leadership—the National Academic Advising Association’s 2000 Pacesetter Award; the William M. Plater Award for Leadership in Civic Engagement in 2008; and the NCCI Brent D. Ruben Award in 2013.