PROVOST LEAVES LASTING IMPACT AT UNIVERSITY

Southeast Missouri State University's second in charge has been chosen as the new president of Youngstown State University in Youngstown, Ohio. It's a good career move for Provost Les Cochran, who has served our university well these past dozen years.

We congratulate Cochran on this prestigious appointment. Youngstown is a much larger campus, boasting of an enrollment of more than 15,000. Competition was stiff; he was selected from among 100 applicants.

The appointment speaks well not only for Cochran but for the university as well. It marks the second time in recent years that a Southeast official has been chosen to lead a much larger university. In 1989, Bill Stacy was selected to develop a growing new University of California campus that will soon have more than 20,000 students.

As provost, Cochran was Southeast's chief academic officer, responsible for overall leadership of instructional programs, faculty employment and academic administration. During his tenure, he oversaw significant program changes in almost every department. Deserving particular praise was his leadership that led to the reform of the teacher education program and development of the University Studies program. Both programs have achieved national prominence. He also played a significant role in the formation of the university's college structure.

Cochran is a strong leader with strong opinions. As such, he may not always top the popularity lists of some faculty and staff. But a leader's ability to make tough choices is critical, especially with today's fiscal realities. Cochran's experience and leadership style should serve him well as Youngstown's president.

The appointment will mean not only the loss of the provost, but also his wife, Linda Cochran, who serves as the university's economic development director. Her contributions will be well remembered, especially her role in re-establishing the Small Business Development Center.

The Cochrans have also been active in community matters, especially the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce. The provost also served as acting president of Southeast during the spring 1987 semester while then university president Bill Stacy was on sabbatical leave.

We wish the Cochrans well in their new challenges. Hopefully, their experiences at Southeast Missouri State University and in Cape Girardeau will assist them in Youngstown. Les Cochran's contributions to Southeast should continue to benefit students in the years ahead. And that's certainly a legacy of which any educator can be proud.