The Free Press
MARSHALL — Change the nameplates and order new business cards — David Jones, the former vice president for student affairs at Minnesota State University who for the past year has been interim president at Southwest Minnesota State University — is now officially SMSU’s new president.
The Minnesota State System made the announcement Wednesday and Jones’ tenure in Marshall begins immediately. SMSU is a four-year public university with an undergraduate enrollment of about 8,700.
“We are facing challenging budget times in higher education and David brings an extensive background in enrollment growth and student affairs that will serve the Southwest Minnesota State University community well at this moment,” Minnesota State System Chancellor Scott Olson said in a press release Wednesday. “He cares deeply about institutions in Greater Minnesota and has a strong vision for what SMSU can be in the future.”
Jones has served as interim president at Southwest Minnesota State University since July 2025. Prior to that, Jones served as vice president for student affairs and enrollment management at MSU between 2012 and 2025. In that role he authored the university’s first and second strategic enrollment management plans to redesign recruitment, which grew the number of undergraduate and graduate applications substantially and improved retention rates to 78% for undergraduate first-time students.
Before MSU, Jones served in various roles at the University of Alabama, including as assistant vice president for student affairs and executive director of housing and residential communities from 2008 to 2011.
Jones holds a bachelor’s degree from State University of New York at Oswego, a master’s from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and a doctorate from the College of William & Mary.