Michael Hulsizer Named Provost of Webster University

Michael Hulsizer, the vice president of Academic Affairs for Webster University, has been named the next provost of the University. He replaces David Schmidt, who has served as interim provost for the past year. Hulsizer starts his new role on July 1. 

“I am sincerely thankful for the opportunity to serve Webster University as provost and deeply appreciative of the confidence placed in me by the University community,” Hulsizer said. “Webster’s commitment to academic excellence, global engagement, and student success has long inspired me, and I look forward to working collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, and alumni across our international network. Together, we will build on Webster’s strong foundation while advancing innovation, strengthening academic programs, and expanding opportunities for our students and communities around the world.” 

Hulsizer has been at Webster since 1997, when he was hired as an assistant professor in the Behavioral and Social Sciences Department. Since then, he has advanced through academic leadership roles spanning three colleges and a university-wide division, building broad experience that supports readiness for chief academic leadership. He helped manage and support multiple accreditation and program review efforts, oversaw the Higher Learning Commission’s visit and report for Tashkent, Tbilisi and San Antonio, co-led the Academic Program Prioritization process, and managed academic operations that oversaw more than $40 million in revenue, $20 million in budgets and more than 150 employees. 

He served as chair of the Behavioral and Social Sciences Department from 2010 to 2014, chair of the Psychology Department from 2015 to 2016 and from 2018 to 2020, and was both the interim dean, College of Arts & Sciences and the acting dean of the School of Education from 2021 to 2022. He was named the dean of the newly formed College of Science of Health in 2022, a role he served in until he was named vice president in 2025.  

Other roles he has served in at Webster include vice president of the Faculty senate, program chair of the Webster University Fall/Spring Institutes, chair of the Salary and Fringe Benefits Committee and chair of the Multicultural Studies Committee.  

Hulsizer has a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology and a master’s in Experimental Psychology, Kent State University, and a Bachelor of Psychology from State University of New York at Buffalo.