Dr. Mark Byrnes has served as provost at Middle Tennessee State University since 2017, following a year as interim provost, and is the longest-tenured chief academic officer among Tennessee’s public universities. As MTSU’s chief academic officer, he provides leadership for academic affairs, research, enrollment management, student success, and international education initiatives. 

Byrnes leads the Division of Academic Affairs, which serves students across 10 colleges, 40 departments, and more than 330 academic degrees and concentrations. During his tenure, MTSU has launched a broad array of new academic offerings, including 29 undergraduate degrees, 5 undergraduate certificates, 15 graduate degrees, and 7 graduate certificates, reflecting the University’s commitment to aligning academic preparation with regional workforce needs and to supporting regional and statewide economic growth. 

Byrnes guided the university’s academic units through the transition from the Tennessee Board of Regents to a locally governed Board of Trustees and led the academic response during the COVID-19 pandemic. He directed the development and implementation of Quest for Student Success 2025, MTSU’s comprehensive roadmap for improving retention and graduation, through which undergraduate retention increased by 6%. 

Under Provost Byrnes’ leadership, his office established leadership development institutes for both faculty and staff, enhanced the faculty tenure and promotion processes, and strengthened academic resource allocation models in support of academic quality and student success. 

More recently, Byrnes has provided key leadership in the development and implementation of MTSU’s Strategic Plan 2035, a comprehensive framework that seeks to increase the institution’s creative and research profile and position it as a top choice for students, strengthen the community so all learners and workers thrive, and cultivate sustainable partnerships that support student success and regional growth.

A Murfreesboro native, Byrnes graduated from Riverdale High School before earning a B.S. in political science from MTSU. He also holds a diploma in international and comparative politics from the London School of Economics, as well as a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in political science from Vanderbilt University. He joined the MTSU faculty in 1991 and has served as the interim chair of the Department of Political Science, as an associate dean, and as the dean of the College of Liberal Arts. 

Byrnes has been deeply engaged in public service throughout his life. He spent two terms on the Rutherford County Board of Education, where he held leadership roles as both chair and vice chair. He is also a past president of the Tennessee Political Science Association and previously served on the board of ThinkTennessee, a nonpartisan public policy organization. In 2010, he was honored with the MTSU Foundation’s Outstanding Public Service Award. 

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Books
Series editor for The President's Position: Debating the Issues. Nine volume series. Greenwood Press, 2002-2006.
James K. Polk: A Biographical Companion. ABC-CLIO, 2001.
Tennessee Government and Politics: Democracy in the Volunteer State. Co-edited with John R. Vile. Vanderbilt University Press, 1998.
Politics and Space: Image Making by NASA. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers, 1994.

Articles and Book Chapters
“The Fourth Amendment in Film and Television” in The Encyclopedia of the Fourth Amendment, edited by John R. Vile and David Hudson. CQ Press, 2012.
“Political Science and Primary Sources." Teaching with Primary Sources across Tennessee. MTSU Center for Historic Preservation, September 2012.
“The ‘Bitterest Fight’: The Tennessee General Assembly and the Nineteenth Amendment.” With Robert B. Jones. Tennessee Historical Quarterly, Fall 2009.
“Film” in The Encyclopedia of the First Amendment, edited by John R. Vile, David Hudson, and David Schultz. CQ Press, 2008.
“George Carlin” in The Encyclopedia of the First Amendment, edited by David Hudson, David Schultz, and John R. Vile. CQ Press, 2008.
“The President and the Bureaucracy.” (50,000 words). In Guide to the Presidency, 4th ed., edited by Michael Nelson. CQ Press, 2008. Also in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd editions.
“John Bragg” in The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. University of Tennessee Press. http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net. 2008.
“William H. Frist” in The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. University of Tennessee Press. http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net. 2008.
“ ‘Rebels never forgive’: Former President Andrew Johnson and the Senate Election of 1869.” With Robert B. Jones. Tennessee Historical Quarterly, Fall 2007.
“Abraham Lincoln” in Encyclopedia of American Civil Rights and Liberties, edited by Otis H. Stephens, Jr., John M. Scheb, and Kara E. Stooksbury. Greenwood, 2006.
“Gerald R. Ford” in The Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties in America, edited by David Schultz and John R. Vile. M.E. Sharpe, 2005.
“Movie Treatments of Civil Liberties” in The Encyclopedia of Civil Liberties in America, edited by David Schultz and John R. Vile. M.E. Sharpe, 2005.
"Charles Evans Hughes" in Great American Judges: An Encyclopedia, edited by John R. Vile. ABC-CLIO, 2003.
"Chappaquiddick Incident" in Dictionary of American History, 3rd ed. Scribner's, 2003.
“Checkers Speech” in Dictionary of American History, 3rd ed. Scribner’s, 2003.
“National Aeronautics and Space Administration” in Dictionary of American History, 3rd ed. Scribner’s, 2003.
"Martin Van Buren" in Great American Lawyers: An Encyclopedia, ed. John R. Vile. ABC-CLIO, forthcoming in 2001.
"NASA" in A Historical Guide to American Government. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
"The FBI" in A Historical Guide to American Government. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.
“The Presidency and Domestic Policy” and “Lesson Plan for ‘The Presidency and Domestic Policy.’” Magazine of History, vol. 11, no. 4, Summer 1997.
"Campaign '96 on the Web." Tennessee's Business, vol. 7, no. 3, 1996.
"The Civil War Presidents: 1857-1869" in The Presidency. New York: Smithmark, 1996.
"The Jacksonian Era: 1829-1857" in The Presidency. New York: Smithmark, 1996.
"Tennessee Government and Politics" in United States Government: Democracy in Action. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 1995.
"The President and the Bureaucracy" in Guide to the Presidency, ed. Michael Nelson, 1203-1245. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly, 1989.
"The Challenger Disaster: A Political Science Analysis." Mid-American Journal of Politics (Fall 1989): 50-76.

Book Reviews
Howard E. McCurdy, Space and the American Imagination, in the New England Quarterly, December 1998.
G. Calvin Mackenzie, The Irony of Reform: Roots of American Political Disenchantment, in Choice, October 1996.
Colin Campbell and Bert A. Rockman, The Clinton Presidency: First Appraisals, in Choice, February 1996.
Stephen C. Craig, The Malevolent Leaders: Popular Discontent in America, in Choice, May 1994.
Stephen Skowronek, The Politics Presidents Make, in Choice, February 1994.
David Ray Griffin and Richard Falk, eds., Postmodern Politics for a Planet in Crisis: Policy, Process, and Presidential Vision, in Choice, December 1993.
Burton I. Kaufman, The Presidency of James Earl Carter, Jr., in the American Review of Politics, Autumn 1993.
Daniel J. Palazzolo, The Speaker and the Budget: Leadership in the Post-Reform House of Representatives, in Choice, July/August 1993.

General Editor
Series editor for The President's Position: Debating the Issues. Nine volume series. Greenwood Publishing.

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Selected Papers and Presentations
"Change Management and Course Scheduling: Collaborating to Improve Student Outcomes," AASCU Summer Meeting for Academic and Student Affairs Leaders, New Orleans, LA. (July 2026).
Update to MTSU Foundation Board, Murfreesboro, TN. (April 2026).
Opening Remarks, Tech Vision 2026: Preparing for an Accelerating and Emerging Future with AI, Murfreesboro, TN. (April 2026).
Vice Presidential Leadership Panel, Featured Panelist, Retreat for Faculty and Staff Leadership Development Institutes, Murfreesboro, TN. (April 2026). 
Academic Affairs Leadership Update, MTSU Student Government Association Joint Session, Murfreesboro, TN. (February 2026).
Update to MTSU National Alumni Association Board of Directors, Virtual Meeting. (January 2026).
Opening Remarks, Seamless Advising Summit, Murfreesboro, TN. (December 2025).
Academic Affairs Update to MTSU Board of Trustees, Murfreesboro, TN. (November 2025).
Update to MTSU National Alumni Association Board of Directors, Virtual Meeting. (January 2026).
Update to MTSU Foundation Board, Murfreesboro, TN. (April 2025).
Forum on Growth and Regional Challenges, MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, Murfreesboro, TN. (March 2025).
MTSU Provost’s Forums, Spotlighted Panelist, Murfreesboro, TN. (September and October 2024).
“Insights from Postsecondary Leaders.” Panelist at Seamless Advising Summit, Nashville, TN. (September 2024).
Keynote Address, MTSU New Student Orientation, Murfreesboro, TN. (Summer 2023 and Summer 2024 sessions).
“State of the University,” Rotary Club of Lebanon, Lebanon, TN. (June 2023).
“Cultivating the Workforce of the Future," Panelist, Bridging the Gap from Education to Employment, Shelbyville, TN. (October 2021).
“MTSU Update.” Noon Rotary Club of Murfreesboro, Murfreesboro,TN, (June 2021).
“Flipping the Script: Engaging External Partners in Academic Programs.” Innovative Governance: Positioning Tennessee Higher Education for the Future (training for Boards of Trustees members), Memphis, TN. (August 2019).
“Liberal Arts: Still Vital and Valuable.” Breakfast Rotary Club of Murfreesboro, Murfreesboro, TN. (March 2016).

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Selected Media Appearances 
"MTSU's Academic Landscape." Out of the Blue, MTSU, May 2026. (https://youtu.be/pefLuw64PhU)
“MTSU’s Leading Aviation Program,” Oshkosh Live, livestream produced by Flying Magazine, July 2025. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPKEzD7aox0)
"Dr. Mark Byrnes Joins Hosts Wayne Blair and Rick Hall.” WGNS, Murfreesboro, June 2025. (https://www.wgnsradio.com/article/93260/dr-mark-byrnes-joins-hosts-wayne-blair-rick-hall)
“MTSU Provost Dr. Mark Byrnes Joins Hosts Wayne Blair and Rick Hall.” WGNS, Murfreesboro, April 2024. (https://www.wgnsradio.com/article/86888/mtsu-provost-dr-mark-byrnes-joins-host-wayne-blair-rick-hall)
“MTSU Online now offers students more than 50 online course options,” WKRN, October 2023. (https://mtsunews.com/mtsu-online-wkrn-local-on-2-oct2023/)
“Mark Byrnes, Provost at Middle Tennessee State University, Joins Hosts Wayne Blair and Rick Hall.” WGNS, Murfreesboro, January 2023. (https://www.wgnsradio.com/article/79258/mark-byrnes-provost-at-middle-tennessee-state-university-join-wayne-blair-rick-hall)
“The Electoral College: Origins, Operations, and Issues.” Panelist on webinar, MTSU, October 2020. (https://mtsunews.com/electoral-college-panel-fall2020/)
“Special Guest from MTSU.” WGNS, Murfreesboro, June 2020. (https://www.wgnsradio.com/article/57040/special-guest-from-mtsu)
“Stay on Course: A Discussion with Provost Mark Byrnes about MTSU’s COVID Transitions.” Out of the Blue, MTSU, March 2020. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYgPl2aWk0M)

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Selected Professional Service
Off-site Reaffirmation Committee member, Southern Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Colleges, reaffirmations of three major universities, Fall 2024.
AASCU Student Success Initiative for Provosts, 2021-2022.
Committee member, Southern Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Colleges Fifth-Year Review of Off-Campus Instructional Sites at University of North Carolina at Greensboro, September 2020.
Workforce Council, Pathways Rutherford project, Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, 2016.
Coordinator, MTSU Legislative Internship Program, 1993-2015.

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