Staff Changes Focus on Recruiting and Student Engagement
JONESBORO – Chancellor Kelly Damphousse announced the creation of two new administrative positions and the reorganization of several administrative divisions in an email to the Arkansas State University faculty and staff today.
Designed to put new focus on student recruitment and student engagement, the realignment of offices once in the Division of Student Affairs is effective with the start of the new fiscal year, July 1.
“After careful consideration and many conversations across campus, we are reorganizing to have a Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management and the return of a traditional Dean of Students,” Damphousse said. “We are conducting a national search to hire the new VC to lead our Division of Enrollment Management, and are seeking someone with the requisite experience to create a more holistic approach to enrollment and student success.”
Enrollment Management will include the current offices of Recruitment, Financial Aid, and Admissions. The Dean of Students will oversee the offices of student life, residence life, student programs, Greek life, and student conduct. An internal search is underway for the new Dean of Students.
Speaking to campus near his one-year anniversary with Arkansas State, Damphousse made clear that these were changes that he believed would best position the university to face the current challenges of higher education in America.
“There are forces in higher education that are challenging us to act and think differently,” he said. “Moving forward usually means making changes, and while I am hesitant to make too many changes too quickly, I am convinced these changes are necessary for our organizations to serve our students and our state in the most responsible way.”
Damphousse also announced movement of other offices to place them in closer alignment with other university areas.
“While we are making these changes, it seemed appropriate to ‘right size’ other operations across the university,” he said in his email.
Among other changes, the Parking Office and University Police will move into the Division of Finance and Administration as well as the consolidation of all custodial services and facility activities associated with residential areas into Facilities Management. Disability Services and the Multicultural Center join the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement. The Testing Center will move to Academic Affairs and Career Services shifts into the Division of University Advancement.
Two other operations sharing common leadership, Global Initiatives and A-State Online, will combine into the Division of Global Engagement and Outreach.
The administrative reorganization follows academic changes approved by the ASU Board of Trustees, notably the establishment of the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the College of Agriculture from the previously combined College of Agriculture, Engineering, and Technology.
Damphousse indicated that other changes, notably a campus-wide discussion of the university strategic plan, the role of the research mission and the potential return of a Graduate College were initiatives on which he would seek advice from the faculty starting this August at the annual Fall Conference.
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