Southeast Missouri State University named Dr. Dennis Holt its interim provost Friday.

The Board of Regents approved the appointment following a closed-door meeting at the University Center.

Holt is senior associate provost at the school. He will serve as Southeast's chief academic officer while the university searches for a permanent replacement for Dr. Charles Kupchella.

Kupchella has resigned as provost effective June 30 to become president of the University of North Dakota.

A search committee will be formed to seek a replacement. Holt won't be a candidate for the permanent job and will return to his associate provost position once a new provost has been hired, the regents said.

Dr. Dale Nitzschke, Southeast's president, will appoint two members to the committee. Each college will be represented by a faculty member. Representatives from the student body and other campus constituents may be added in the fall if the faculty handbook policy is modified, school officials said.

Nitzschke said Holt has a fine reputation as a teacher and scholar and has performed well as associate provost.

Don Dickerson, president of the Board of Regents, also praised Holt.

"We are confident Dr. Holt will be able to move the academic agenda forward without missing a beat," he said.

Dickerson said the search for a permanent provost could last a year. "This is a heavily faculty-centered search," he said.

Holt said he was "honored for the opportunity to serve the university." He said he would work to maintain "the momentum of our academic agenda."

Holt has been employed at Southeast since 1976 in both faculty and administrative positions. He began his career at Southeast as an assistant professor in the philosophy and religion department. He later was promoted to associate professor and then professor, the rank he currently holds.

In 1980, he became chairman of the philosophy and religion department. He later directed the Writing Outcomes program. He has held several positions in the provost's office.