Mississippi State University President Mark E. Keenum has been elected vice president of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) by his fellow presidents/chancellors. The action was taken Friday at the SEC’s summer meeting in Destin, Florida.
Keenum will serve a term of one year in the post, succeeding the retiring University of Arkansas Chancellor G. David Gearhart. Gearhart is retiring from the helm at Arkansas in July. Election to the office puts Keenum in the line of succession to lead the SEC as president in 2016.
In his capacity as vice president, Keenum will serve as liaison to SEC-U, the conference’s academic arm, where he will work to promote the academic achievements of students, faculty and staff members throughout the 14-member conference.