Category | News

Papp rearranges cabinet

Published on August 22, 2006 by The Sentinel

   In President Papp’s primary July 10 address to campus he introduced
three phases in his administrative reorganization. The president
released his first statement further concerning changes among his
cabinet August 8.

      Phase one of what Papp calls a three-phase
administration reorganization has four parts. The first part is a
request, by the president, to the Board of Regents to allow KSU to
re-task the Vice President of Academic Affairs as Provost and Vice
President of Academic Affairs. Dr. Lendley C. Black was awarded this
cabinet position.
  
   The creation of the cabinet position Faculty
Executive Assistant to the President will stand as part two. The
description of this position had yet to be announced upon press time.
However, the position will have diverse responsibilities including the
“ubiquitous other duties.”
    Papp also requested to transfer
Alumni Affairs from the Office of Student Success to the Office of
Advancement and also to change reporting line of the Institute of
Leadership, Ethics and Character from the President to the Provost.
    Phase two of this cabinet reorganization will also contain three
parts. Earle Holley, former Vice President of Business and Finance will
depart and move to a position at the Board of Regents. Dr. Randy Hinds
will be taking over the interim position while the university conducts
a national search for a permanent appointment. Hinds will also hold his
current positions as Vice President for Technology and Human Resources
and Chief Information Officer.
    The second part of phase two
includes the creation of the position for Special Assistant to the
President for External Affairs. The position will consolidate
responsibilities for community relations, government relations, public
relations and marketing; all previously divided into three different
offices. Former Associate Vice Chancellor for Media and Publications of
the University System of Georgia, Arlethia Perry-Johnson, will take
this position.
    As a direct result of the creation of this
position, the office of University Relations will be transferred from
the office of Advancement to the office of External Affairs.
  
 The third and final element of phase two involves the retitling of Dr.
Flora Devine’s position from Vice President for Global Diversity, Legal
and Community Affairs to Special Assistant to the President for Legal
Affairs and Diversity.
    “This will allow Ms. Devine to devote full attention to legal issues and diversity,” Papp sates.
    This retitling prompts the collaboration of Ms. Devine and
not-yet-announced Faculty Executive Assistant in chief responsibility
for the future Diversity and Equity Forum. This forum will have
responsibilities that involve assuring that the value of diversity is
appreciated and understood at KSU,assuring that diversity is a reality
on campus and  that diversity concerns do not become diversity issues.
    “With these changes having been announced, the structure of my
Cabinet, pending Board of Regents approval, is finalized and most
members of my leadership team are in place,” stated Papp. “In addition
to these changes, I also announced that we will form a President’s
Planning and Budget Council.”
    Papp also notes that the Vice
Presidents have a significant amount of people reporting to them,
special assistants have a limited number of people reporting to them
and executive assistants have very few if any people reporting to them.

    The President’s Budget Council’s tasks will include five main
responsibilities. Among these five are finalizing the Strategic Plan,
reviewing progress on the Strategic Plan on a regular basis, advising
the President and Cabinet on the creation of annual plans and advising
the President and Cabinet on budgetary decisions to assure that
decisions are aligned with the Strategic Plan. The composition of the
council is yet to be decided, but Papp states that it will have broad
representation.
    Papp’s final request is that the Board of
Regents approves the changing of the name of the Office of Graduate
Studies to the Graduate College. He expects these changes to be
approved in the near future.