The Emporia Gazette

May 28, 2012

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For Emporia State University, plenty of accomplishments are in the books, and plenty of change is yet to come.

University President Michael Lane’s address at the Spring General Assembly highlighted a long list of both Tuesday afternoon at Albert Taylor Hall. In addition to a slew of university successes during the past semester, Lane’s speech detailed some extensive administration reorganization, using as his theme the old saying “The only constant is change.”

Reasons for the reorganization, he said, included data needs, consistency in the school’s marketing processes, the critical nature of the school’s retention and graduation rates, and the need for ESU to develop deeper partnerships.

Lane’s first major structural change is the creation of the school’s new division of enrollment management, which will be organized within the academic affairs office.

The enrollment management division will include employees from a number of different departments: admissions, financial aid, the registrar, advising, graduate programs, international programs and lifelong learning, which is now known as the division of off-site and distance education.

A new employee will serve as the associate provost for enrollment management, the hiring process for which will begin within a month. The creation of the new division is part of Lane’s goal of increased convenience for students.

“The whole goal in this reorganization,” he said, “is to create a single front door through Emporia State University through which all students will enter. It will standardize data collection and ensure that the data structures are sufficient for making good decisions for the university.”

Another priority will be replacing outgoing Vice President for Academic Affairs John Schwenn, who at the beginning of March will assume the job of president at Dalton State College in Dalton, Ga. An 11-person search committee will work to find Schwenn’s replacement, who will serve in the new position of Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Lane hopes the committee will name three to four finalists by April, and he expects a “high-quality” candidate to take the job in mid-June or early July. Until then, Rod Sobieski will act as interim vice president for academic affairs on a part-time basis, and Betsy Yanik will serve as interim associate vice president for the same department.

James Williams, ESU’s vice president for student affairs, will have new duties as well. After Schwenn’s replacement is found, Williams will serve as the school’s vice president for strategic partnerships and student life. He will work to develop and manage partnerships within ESU as well as the school’s partnerships with businesses, the community and other schools.

Beginning on Feb. 1, Williams will also be managing the transition of the various department employees being absorbed into the Division of Enrollment Management — a process that Lane knows has caused “some uncertainty and trepidation.” He met with staff members from each department earlier on Tuesday.

“I know that change is a difficult process,” Lane said. “I am moving forward with these because I believe that these changes will accomplish some of our institutional goals that we’re in the process of developing — certainly increased enrollment, increased retention rates, increased graduation rates, increased international enrollment, improved orientation advising for both domestic and international students and increased partnerships.”

After the speech, Lane restated the importance of Williams’ duties in forming and developing those partnerships.

“First, (it’s important) to meet the needs of Lyon County and Emporia,” he said. “Secondly, to help us in identifying and generating the resources we need to expand the institution, to make it a better place.”

Before listing the upcoming changes, Lane’s address lauded the university’s recent accomplishments in various departments and divisions. He said those responsible for the achievements were at fault for making the general assembly address longer than usual because the accomplishments formed such a long list.

Included in the list was The Teachers College being selected by the George Lucas Foundation as one of the nation’s 10 schools of education that will “change the way we teach.” In fiscal affairs, Lane complimented the development of “innovative improvement” to the school’s fee payment procedures.

In addition to academic, faculty and procedural achievements, Lane also celebrated ESU’s athletic success. He noted that 2007 ended with Emporia State being the only Division II institution with its women’s basketball, men’s basketball, volleyball and baseball programs all ranked in the Top 25.