Eli Jones III

Editor’s note: The following information is copied exactly how it appears in the committee’s recommendation report. 

Strengths

Dr. Jones is a dynamic and experienced leader with a passion for Texas A&M. He embodies the culture of A&M and has a breadth of leadership experience. He is trusted among fellow colleagues and students. His knowledge and background as Dean at other universities provide him with a wealth of varied experience that will be beneficial for the provost position. In addition, his experience with fundraising and cultivating relationships will allow him to be a bridge between internal and external stakeholders. He understands the political landscape at Texas A&M University and will be able to navigate it skillfully.

Vision
Dr. Jones seeks to work collaboratively with leadership to be a champion of change management and increase support for all of the reorganization changes moving forward. He is devoted to creating transformational leaders and passionate about student success and providing support and resources to all students facing challenges. He would work to create a culture of inclusion throughout the TAMU community and among all its stakeholders.

Weaknesses
Dr. Jones was not specific in his answers to follow-up questions from his presentation. He envisions his service in the provost capacity as a calling, as opposed to a destination.

Overall
Dr. Eli Jones not only lives out the Aggie Core Values but embodies the culture of Texas A&M every day. He is an effective communicator and dynamic leader that can expertly navigate the recent institutional changes as well as the political landscape of an institution of this size. His focus on working collaboratively with faculty, staff and students is inspiring.