Dr. Laura Payne and Michelle Lancaster, Sul Ross State University, have both successfully completed the year-long Texas Academic Leadership Academy (TALA).

The academy concluded in June and is recognized statewide for cultivating excellence in higher education leadership.

Offered through the Texas Council of Chief Academic Officers, TALA is a professional development initiative designed to prepare academic leaders for the unique challenges facing colleges and universities across the state. The academy combines mentorship from experienced academic executives, strategic leadership workshops, and a collaborative cohort experience focused on best practices in academic administration.

Dr. Payne has served at Sul Ross State since 2005. She received a bachelor’s degree in English, a Master of Arts in Creative Writing, and a Ph.D. in Philosophy, all from Texas Tech University. She was appointed as the Chair of the Department of Languages and Literature in 2015. In 2020, she was appointed as the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, and in 2021 as the Dean of the Jimmy D. Case College of Literature, Arts and Social Sciences. Her participation in TALA reflects her dedication to fostering student-centered academic programs and collaborative leadership.

Since joining SRSU in April 2023, Lancaster, the Assistant Provost for Curriculum Development and Strategic Initiatives, has advanced tenure and promotion reviews, supported curricular development and ensured compliance with accreditation and regulatory requirements from the Texas State University System and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Her leadership was also pivotal in the implementation of digital systems for catalog and curriculum management, in helping coordinate the university’s first doctoral program, and in the continued growth of faculty leadership and professional development initiatives. She is pursuing a doctoral degree in Public Administration at the University of Illinois.

Sul Ross State University continues to invest in professional development for its academic leaders as part of its broader mission to serve West Texas and the Middle Rio Grande Region.

For more information, email provost@sulross.edu.