University of South Florida System President Judy Genshaft today named Martin Tadlock as the regional chancellor of USF St. Petersburg (USFSP) through June 2021. Tadlock has been serving as USFSP’s interim chancellor since September 2017, and previously served as regional vice chancellor for academic affairs.
“As the USF System moves closer to consolidated accreditation and becomes one unified university, stability of leadership is more important than ever,” said USF System President Judy Genshaft. “I have been impressed with the impact Chancellor Tadlock has made on USFSP through his focused leadership, his strong relationships with the community and his collaborative spirit as a member of the USF System.”
Tadlock came to USFSP in July 2016 from Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College in northern Minnesota, where he served as provost and vice president for academic and student affairs. He previously served as dean of the College of Professional and Graduate Studies from 2001-2006. He has also served as assistant vice-chancellor at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and as provost at Northeastern State University in Oklahoma.
Under Tadlock’s leadership at USFSP, the campus adopted a comprehensive focus on elevating students, setting up systems to intervene proactively to address obstacles to student progression. This resulted in a 10 percentage point increase in USFSP’s retention rate this year — an important metric in sustaining USF’s leadership in performance-based funding. He also worked closely with colleagues across the USF System to support USFSP’s campus enhancements, including a new 375-bed residence hall recently approved by the USF Board of Trustees.
“The USF System is on a strong trajectory, with USF St. Petersburg making important contributions for the benefit of the students and the region we serve,” Tadlock said. “I’m proud to continue serving the USF St. Petersburg community for the next three years and look forward to gaining even greater momentum at a pivotal time in our history.”
Tadlock began his career in education 30 years ago as a middle school teacher, serving as a professor of middle level education and director of the Center of Education for the Young Adolescent, a Wisconsin Center of Excellence, at the University of Wisconsin Platteville. He was a professor of middle level education, program coordinator, team chair, and assistant dean at Utah State University, where he established the first middle level teacher licensure program in the state and the largest graduate seminar in the western U.S., the Rocky Mountain Middle Level Education Seminar, which served over 300 middle school teachers and administrators every year.
He has a bachelor’s degree in geography and master’s degree in secondary education from Utah State University. His PhD is in educational administration and leadership from Miami University of Ohio.