Kansas State University

President and provost name search committees for new strategic enrollment management leadership positions

Submitted by Richard Myers and Charles Taber

Dear Colleagues,

In December, we announced the key components for a new strategic enrollment management structural framework to be effective July 1, 2019. Today we are pleased to announce the appointment of four search committees to lead the national searches for the new vice president for student life and dean of students, the vice provost for enrollment management, the vice provost for student success, and the associate provost for institutional research. All four of these positions will play a critical role within the new structure as we continue our work across the university supporting students from recruitment through graduation.

The anticipated start date for each new position is July 1, 2019.

• The vice president for student life and dean of students will foster a commitment to student success through developing, implementing, and maintaining programs and services that enrich student learning, build and maintain a strong sense of community, and support the social and personal development and well-being of students at K-State. The position's focus is on providing leadership for the development and implementation of high-quality and student-centered approaches to support student success in the non-academic dimensions of student university experiences. Examples include residential housing and residential life, diversity and inclusion activities, student activities and events, student clubs and organizations, student government, student conduct, wellness and well-being, accommodation of disabilities, access programs, and career counseling.  

Search committee members:

• Amy Button Renz, chair, president and CEO, K-State Alumni Association.
• LaVerne Bitsie-Baldwin, director, multicultural engineering program, College of Engineering.
• Greg Eiselein, professor of English, College of Arts and Sciences, and director of K-State First. 
• Wayne Goins, university distinguished professor of music, College of Arts and Sciences. 
• Lori Goetsch, dean of K-State Libraries.
• Brandon Haddock, coordinator, LGBT Resource Center, Student Life. 
• Jordan Kocher, director, fraternities and sororities at K-State.
• Emily Lehning, associate vice president, New Student Services, Student Life.
• Carol Marden, office manager, Counseling Services, Student Life.
• Mary Molt, assistant professor, Housing and Dining Services, Student Life.
• Alisa Pajser, doctoral student in psychological sciences, College of Arts and Sciences.
• Sadie Polson, senior in marketing, College of Business Administration.
• Bryan Samuel, chief diversity and inclusion officer, Office of the President.
• Chuck Taber, provost and executive vice president, Office of the Provost.
• Sara Thurston, director, International Student and Scholar Services, International Programs.

• The vice provost for enrollment management will focus on providing strategic leadership and vision as it relates to all aspects of enrollment management, including domestic and international recruitment and admissions, scholarships and financial aid, registration, and transfer enrollment. The vice provost will work with leaders and others across the university and within the colleges to align enrollment services; to formulate a comprehensive strategy that engages prospective students from Kansas, country-wide, and internationally; and to set significant and feasible enrollment goals and then reach those targets with a consistently successful enrollment program.

Search committee members:

• Tim de Noble, chair, dean of the College of Architecture, Planning & Design.
• Lynn Carlin, special assistant to the provost, Office of the Provost.
• Billy Croslow, doctoral student in history, College of Arts and Sciences.
• Carrie Fink, student programs coordinator, Registrar, Student Life.
• Mike Finnegan, assistant professor, leadership studies.
• Andrea Bryant Gladin, assistant vice president for alumni programs, K-State Alumni Association.
• Tanya Gonzalez, professor of English, College of Arts and Sciences.
• Derek Jackson, associate vice president, Housing and Dining Services, Student Life.
• Jordan Kiehl, senior in industrial engineering, College of Engineering.
• Ashley Martin, executive director of university marketing and creative services, Communications and Marketing. 
• Kristin Oberheide, director of international admissions and recruitment, International Programs.
• Karen Pedersen, dean of K-State Global Campus.
• Adrian Rodriguez, associate vice president, Diversity and Multicultural Student Affairs, Student Life.
• Roger Schieferecke, assistant dean and director, Center for Student Success and Professional Services, College of Education.
• Christopher Smith, executive director, enrollment management and marketing services, K-State Polytechnic,  
• Bryon Williams, assistant director of New Student Services, Student Life.

• The vice provost for student success will provide vision, leadership and administrative management to a broad range of academic support service offices charged with supporting student success. Working closely with the university community and using national best practices and emerging research, the vice provost will identify, develop and guide innovative initiatives to improve student retention, persistence, progression, and graduation of K-State students. The vice provost will work closely with Student Life and the colleges to bridge academic and student service operations and initiatives and implement improved use of technology and analytics to enhance student success efforts across the university.

Search committee members:

• Mary Tolar, chair, director, Staley School of Leadership Studies.
• Amit Chakrabarti, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Tara Coleman, associate professor, K-State Libraries.
• Kevin Cook, associate director, Housing and Dining Services, Student Life.
• Pamela Erickson, director of Student and Faculty Services, K-State Global Campus.
• Lynn Ewanow, associate dean, College of Architecture, Planning & Design. 
• David Invergo, master's student in counseling and student development, College of Education.
• Kerry Jennings, maintenance manager, Housing and Dining Services, Student Life.
• Joe Milostan, director, Education Abroad, International Programs.
• Charlie Nutt, executive director, NACADA, College of Education.
• Heather Reed, assistant vice president/associate dean and director, Student Life.
• Paloma Roman, senior in athletic training, College of Human Ecology.
• Don Saucier, professor of psychological sciences, College of Arts and Sciences.
• Alysia Starkey, interim dean and CEO, K-State Polytechnic.
• Be Stoney, associate professor of curriculum and instruction, College of Education.
• Ashley Thomas, senior academic advisor, Student Success Center, College of Business Administration.

• The associate provost for institutional research will serve as the chief institutional research officer for the university, leading a newly defined Office of Institutional Research, or OIR, as we work to establish a robust institutional research capacity at the university. The associate provost will be responsible for ensuring development and implementation of an institutionwide data strategy that promotes institutionwide use of data and analytics for informed decision-making. The associate provost and the OIR will collaborate with others to understand the stakeholders and their decision-support needs; collect, analyze, interpret and report data and information; and support operational, budgetary, and strategic planning, program review, accreditation, and the effective use or resources. The associate provost will serve as liaison to data stewards and sources across the university and facilitate efforts to combine and aggregate data resources and connect disparate pieces of information to create an institutionwide perspective. Creating coaching and professional development opportunities for information producers, users and consumers across the university will also be important to enhancing the capacity for data-informed decision-making throughout the institution.

Search committee members:

• Ethan Erickson, chair, assistant vice president for budget planning.
• Kathy Burkholder, director of strategic initiatives and systems, K-State Global Campus.
• Angela Chauncey, associate director, Information Technology Services. 
• Sunanda Dissanayake, associate dean, Graduate School. 
• Nicholas Gallivan, doctoral student in psychological sciences, College of Arts and Sciences.
• Stacy Kovar, associate dean, College of Business Administration.
• Laurel Littrell, professor, K-State Libraries.
• Paul Lowe, associate vice president, Pre-Award Services, Research.
• Molly McGaughey, director of undergraduate admissions, Student Life.
• Jan Middendorf, associate director, Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab, College of Agriculture.
• Sam Pittman, junior in political science, College of Arts and Sciences.
• David Procter, professor and director, Center for Engagement and Community Development. 
• Cindy Shuman, director, Office of Educational Innovation and Evaluation, College of Education.
• Jay Stephens, vice president of Human Capital Services.
• Fran Willbrant, assistant vice president of financial services.

Once these searches are launched, we will appoint a search committee to lead the search for a new university registrar later this spring. 

These new leadership positions are pivotal for our university as we strive to create a more unified management structure across centralized student services and the academic organization for strategic enrollment management. We thank the members of the search committees for their willingness to lend their time and talents to these searches.  

Sincerely,

Richard Myers
President

Charles Taber
Provost and Executive Vice President