Mikhail Kouliavtsev Named COBA Dean
By Demetra Paizanis,
Communications Coordinator –
Mikhail Kouliavtsev, Ph. D.
KILLEEN — Texas A&M University–Central Texas has named Mikhail Kouliavtsev, Ph.D., dean of the College of Business Administration (COBA), effective Aug. 1. COBA includes three academic departments, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in accounting and finance, computer information systems, and management and marketing. The college is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
“I am honored to be selected as dean of the College of Business Administration and look forward to joining the Warrior team and the broader community,” Kouliavtsev said. “My past experience in building relationships with local and regional business, nonprofit, and governmental partners is what I hope to bring as we continue to grow the role and impact of COBA in Central Texas.”
Academic Background
Kouliavtsev earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and mathematics from Lyon College and master’s and doctoral degrees in economics from Temple University. Since 2016, he has served as chair of the Department of Economics and Finance at Stephen F. Austin State University. From 2012 to 2016, he was director of the Master of Business Administration. A professor of economics, Kouliavtsev began is time at Stephen F. Austin in 2007. He also served as an assistant professor at Philadelphia University (now Thomas Jefferson University) from 2003 to 2007.
As department chair, Kouliavtsev established and led the Center for Business and Economic Research and established weekly research seminars to encourage departmental research collaboration. His work included authoring and co-authoring numerous articles, presentations, publications, and research studies, and leading a grant-funded regional research project that supported paid undergraduate internships.
Future Focus
Clifton T. Jones, Ph.D., provost and vice president for academic and student affairs at A&M–Central Texas, touted Kouliavtsev’s experience and proven success as a deciding factor in his selection.
“Dr. Kouliavtsev is an experienced administrator with strong academic credentials and a record of success in curriculum development, strategic planning, AACSB accreditation, and community outreach,” Jones said.
Kouliavtsev said he will bring his passion for business education to A&M–Central Texas with a vision for growing the College of Business Administration and its programs. “The vision for the College of Business Administration is to become the chosen destination in the region for students seeking accessible business education that can truly transform lives,” Kouliavtsev said.
