Southeast New Mexico College announces three finalists for the Vice President of Academic Affairs

After an extensive search, Southeast New Mexico College announces three finalists for the Vice President of Academic Affairs. The finalists include Dr. Diane Gavin, Dr. Mickey D. Best, and Dr. Meredith Skaggs. The open forums for the VP of Academic Affairs will take place Thursday, June 22, 2023, Monday, June 26, 2023, and Tuesday, June 27, 2023, at 2:30 PM in Room 153 and via Zoom. Community members, faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend.

Meet the Candidates  

Dr. Diane Gavin

Dr. Diane Gavin is the Dean of Performance Excellence and has oversight of the Office of Institutional Planning, Research, and Effectiveness at St Philip's College in San Antonio, Texas. Diane has over 14 years' experience as Dean at St Philip's and at the University of Phoenix Online. She has held administrative positions at Rowan University and East Carolina University, where she was also Full Professor. Diane holds a PhD in English from Syracuse University, a MA in Linguistics from Syracuse University, a MS in Higher Education Administration and Management from Drexel University, a MEd in English Education Curriculum and Assessment from SUNY Oswego, a BS in Media Communications from Medaille College, and is currently completing a Graduate Certificate in Consumer Neuroscience from Fielding Graduate University. Diane has published six books and over 14 articles and book chapters. In her spare time, Diane is a photographer and has had her work shown at galleries in San Antonio and Los Angeles.

Dr. Mickey Best

Dr. Mickey D. Best hails from Oklahoma where, as a college student, he worked a few summers as a “swamper” for an oilfield pipeline crew. Had he not pursued a career in Higher Education, he would have been a third-generation industry worker in his home state. From his family and these early experiences, he learned principles of job commitment and hard-work that he carries with him to the present day.

He received his Bachelor of Arts in Speech-Theatre Education and Psychology from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford. Upon graduation, a scholarship from Texas Tech University brought him to Lubbock where he completed his Master of Fine Arts in Theatre and Ph.D. in Arts Administration and History, Theory, and Criticism.

His career began as a full-time faculty member at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs. There he wrote the founding curriculum for theatre performance and technical production and designed the interior of Watson Theatre and its art exhibition space. After a decade of rewarding service, he pursued administration and worked as Dean of Arts and Sciences. Over time and following academic reorganization, he served in the newly formed position of Dean of Arts, Humanities, and Career Technology. While at the college, he formed a task force with education faculty and representatives of the five, Lea County New Mexico school districts to address teacher shortages in the area. The work culminated with the implementation of the state’s first community college certification program for Alternative Licensure in Elementary Education. He was commended for his service to the institution and received a proclamation from state Representative Don Whitaker (deceased).

He has served as Executive Dean of Liberal Arts at the Dallas College Cedar Valley Campus, a mainly African-American serving institution. There he advocated for and received approval to establish an advisory council to student services for the testing and placement of students in developmental Mathematics, Reading, and Writing. He was also nominated for and received a National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Award.

He next served as Vice President for Academic Affairs at South Arkansas College in El Dorado. Working with members of the Faculty Senate and managers of the four academic divisions, he led efforts to design and implement the faculty development and evaluation process. He also served as the institutional liaison between the Arkansas Department of Higher Education and the College. At this time, he became a Peer Reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission and co-chaired and served as editor for the institution’s Assurance Argument submission resulting in continuing accreditation. In consultation with lead faculty, he participated in program-level reaccreditation initiatives for Automotive and Welding Technology, Physical Therapist Assistant, and Occupational Therapy Assistant. He also served as a board member of the Arkansas Rural Nursing Education Consortium.

He returned to New Mexico in his appointment as Campus President for the New Mexico State University branch campus in Grants, a minority-majority serving college with Hispanic and Native American students constituting two-thirds of its total enrollment. There, he consulted with faculty and staff from the academic sector and student services to strengthen shared governance processes and decision-making accountability. In his work with local state legislators, over the course of three years he requested and received $4.9 million in funding for facility and infrastructure campus upgrades. He also served as a board member for the local Chamber-of-Commerce and Cibola Communities Economic Development Foundation and was appointed as President of the Grants-Milan Rotary Club (Rotary International).

Most recently, he served as Vice President of Organizational Effectiveness and Excellence at Kilgore College in Kilgore, Texas. His work there focused on a new initiative to adopt guiding policies of the Texas Association of School Boards. His office also provided support services for academic program assessment and tracked progress for the institution’s strategic planning efforts.

He currently resides in Tyler, Texas with his wife, Wryn, a trained vocal performer, and retired public-school teacher who has since become a painter, licensed Massage Therapist, and now teaches line dancing to community members.

Dr. Meredith Skaggs

Dr. Meredith Skaggs is currently the Department Head of Humanities and Fine Arts at Owensboro Community and Technical College and a member of the 2022 graduating class of KCTCS. The year, 2022, is not a mistake. As a high school student, Dr. Skaggs graduated with 63 college credit hours from OCTC, but one class shy of her degree. She transferred to Georgetown College to complete her Bachelor of Science degree in Communication and Media Studies. Here, along with her degree, she earned the Spirit of the Discipline award for her leadership and passion within the field of study. She continued her education at Western Kentucky University and earned a Master of Arts Degree in Organizational Communication where she focused her research and studies on crisis communication and response. Finally, she completed her Doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Administration with an emphasis on Post-Secondary Education in 2015. Her dissertation, The Great Divide: Examining the identities and perceptions of community college faculty and staff, investigated the co-cultures of workplace dynamics between faculty and staff. Yet, even with the addition of “Dr.” to her name, something was missing.

In January of 2022, Dr. Skaggs completed the reverse transfer process of the one-credit hour science lab course missing from her Associate of Arts degree and completed the graduation application. In May of 2022, she joined the graduating class of OCTC students by walking across the stage and finally received her Associate of Arts degree – the missing educational piece.

Dr. Skaggs has worked in higher education for 13 years, achieving the rank of Professor as a communication faculty member. She has been honored as the 2022 Experiential Learning Center Faculty of the Year at OCTC, a 2018 First-Year Experience Student Advocacy National Semifinalist, and the 2015 New Horizons Outstanding Faculty of the Year. While awards and recognition are appreciated, Dr. Skaggs’ most proud accomplishment within higher education comes from the level of trust faculty, staff, and students place in her as they share their dreams, troubleshoot problems, and seek to collaborate outside of the well-established educational silos.

She and her husband Nick share their home with an ever-growing list of pets and farm animals, including their two dogs, Bill and Ruby. Their Micro Mini Donkey, Georgie, does not live inside and complains about that often, and loudly. In her free time, Dr. Skaggs trades the desk chair for a western saddle as she competes in the sport of reining on her horse, Annie. Dr. Skaggs shares, she finds nothing quite provides freedom in the way a good education or a good horse can provide.