McNeese Names Dr. Michael Buckles Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs 

Dr. Michael Buckles has been named provost and vice president for academic affairs at McNeese State University, according to Dr. Wade Rousse, McNeese president. Buckles has been serving in the interim role since May 2024. 

“I want to thank Dr. Nicholas and the entire Provost Search Committee. It was important that we perform a thorough search and hire the best candidate. We are thrilled to have Dr. Buckles officially as our provost and a steadfast member of the executive leadership team,” Rousse said. “Since May, he has been in the trenches working to improve student retention and the job placement of our graduates.” 

Buckles received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Louisiana State University, his Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music and his Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Tulane University. 

“I am grateful to have been selected as McNeese’s next Provost. My priorities will focus on three key areas – recruitment, retention and job placement,” Buckles explained. 

His plans include collaborative efforts to attract students from across the state and to provide the assistance they need to earn a degree. For job placement, he hopes to strengthen connections with regional employers to ensure McNeese graduates are well-prepared for their careers. 

“It is an exciting time for our region and our university and I am optimistic about the positive impact we can make,” Buckles said.  

Previously he was dean of McNeese’s College of Liberal Arts. He was appointed dean in 2018. While he was dean, the college added new academic concentrations and established a food pantry for students. He worked extensively on recruiting and retaining students and faculty, with intentional efforts to recruit non-traditional students. 

Buckles, a professor of music and a violinist, began his career at McNeese in 2002 and served as head of the W.A. and Dorothy Hanna Department of Performing Arts at McNeese from 2011-2017. As department head, he oversaw the recent National Association of Schools of Music accreditation visit and raised $25,000 in endowed funds for faculty development. 

At McNeese, Buckles is a member of several university committees including the Student Advocacy Committee and Academic Advisory Council and is the Undergraduate Research Coordinator. He is also active in the community with Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church and the Lake Charles Symphony.  

Buckles was on the University of Louisiana System (ULS) Task Force-Feasibility of Maritime Education and the ULS Academic Summit Planning. He is a board member for the National String Project Consortium and on the review board for the Journal of Service-Learning in Higher Education.