The executive offices of Prairie View A&M were shaken up earlier this month, as Dr. Michael McFrazier was appointed interim associate provost and associate vice president for academic affairs. The position was previously held by Dr. Henri Bailey, who returned to teaching in the College of Business .This sudden change may have gone unnoticed by most of the student body, as many students simply don’t know what an associate vice president does. “The office is generally in charge of all the academic affairs here at Prairie View,” McFrazier said. “We work to insure academic quality, and we promote students success. We want to make sure that when students leave Prairie View, they possess the skills necessary to function as productive citizens.”
McFrazier has been with the university since 1998. During this time, he has taught a wide variety of classes, such as school community relations, and special programs. Before his promotion on Sept. 7, he was the associate professor in the College of Education and coordinator of the doctoral program in educational leadership.
While in office, McFrazier wants to take advantage of the opportunity to enhance the learning experience for students on campus. “There is a synergy between the academic and the student affairs divisions,” says McFrazier. “Research has shown that a large percent of what student’s are learning is outside the classroom. So it’s good to make sure that what they learn outside the classroom complements with what’s inside the classroom, and vice versa.”
McFrazier wants to be more than another executive at Prairie View; he plicants vying to land the job permanently.