Biography
Earl H. Potter III, President
Dr. Earl H. Potter III was appointed St. Cloud State University’s 22nd president by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities Board of Trustees, effective July 1, 2007.
President Potter was attracted to Minnesota’s second largest university because it offers an affordable, high-quality education and well-rounded college experience for students who hail from Minnesota and around the world. Under his leadership and a strong commitment to student success, academic distinction, global education, diversity, and community partnerships, the state’s most widely accredited undergraduate university will move forward as the flagship of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.
St. Cloud State’s newest president came from Southern Oregon University in Ashland, where he had served as executive vice president and provost since 2003. Previously, he was dean of the College of Business at Eastern Michigan University; dean of the School of Management at Lesley University; director for organizational development and employment services at Cornell University; associate dean for academics at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy; a fellow for the American Council on Education in the Office of the Chancellor at the University of Colorado; and chief negotiator for management and head of the Department of Economics and Management at the U. S. Coast Guard Academy.
President Potter holds a Ph.D. in organizational psychology and a master's degree in psychology, both from the University of Washington; and a bachelor's degree in psychology with honors from Williams College. He also served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1969 to 1993 and retired at the rank of captain.
EDUCATION
| Ph.D. | University of Washington, 1978 Organizational Psychology |
| M.S. | University of Washington, 1977 Psychology |
| B.A. | Williams College, 1968 Psychology (with Honors) |
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
| 2007 - | President, St. Cloud State University. |
| 2003 - 2007 | Executive Vice President and Provost, Southern Oregon University. |
| 2000 - 2003 | Professor and Dean, College of Business, Eastern Michigan University. |
| 1997 - 2000 | Professor and Dean, School of Management, Lesley University. |
| 1/97 - 6/97 | Director, Organizational Development and Employment Services, Cornell University. |
| 1994 - 1996 | Director, Organizational Development and Educational Service, Cornell University. |
| 1993 - 1994 | Director, Organizational Development Services, Cornell University. |
| 1991 - 1993 | Associate Dean for Academics, U.S. Coast Guard Academy. |
| 1988 - 1990 1990 - 1991 |
Fellow, American Council on Education, Office of the Chancellor, (Sabbatical Assignment) University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. |
| 1985 - 1987 | Chief Negotiator for Management vis-à-vis Faculty
Union, (Concurrent Assignment) U.S. Coast Guard Academy. |
| 1985 - 1988 | Head, Department of Economics and Management, U.S.
Coast Guard Academy. |
MILITARY SERVICE
| 1969 - 1993 | United States Coast Guard, Retired 1993 at the rank of Captain (O-6). |
ADDITIONAL MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE
| 1970 - 1977 | Operations Officer; Personnel Officer; Chief, Recruiting and Training for U.S. Coast Guard commands in Alaska, Antarctica & Pacific Northwest. |
