President addresses changes

By Northern Star staff

DeKALB — An update of President Doug Baker’s November Program Prioritization progress report will be released March 22.

The update will include a chart breaking down progress related to Program Prioritization thus far and pending work for administrative programs, according to an email sent by President Doug Baker Wednesday.

Program Prioritization used task forces to create reports that review 223 academic programs and 236 administrative programs to influence the allocation of university funds. The reports were based on narratives submitted by program leaders in November 2015.

Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management

Provost Lisa Freeman will be assuming permanent oversight of the Student Affairs division after providing interim oversight since December.

Freeman took on the position after Eric Weldy, former vice president of Student Affairs, left NIU to pursue a career at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Her permanent oversight will allow for the removal of the vice president of Student Affairs position and salary.

The division has undergone reorganization as a result of Program Prioritization. Cultural resource centers now report to Chief Diversity Officer Vernese Edghill-Walden, and the enrollment management team merged with marketing and communications, according to the email.

“I want to stress that this in no way diminishes our commitment to Student Affairs, and in fact, this is an increasingly common organizational structure in higher education,” Baker said in the email.

Legislative Affairs

Mike Mann, associate vice president for state government relations and Board of Trustees liaison, will be retiring in May.

“While we are saddened by Mike’s impending retirement, this also provides us with an opportunity to consider how to more effectively structure the position for future needs,” Baker said in the email.

Future individuals to hold the position will maintain the duties fulfilled by Mann in addition to heightening focus on project management and acting as chief of staff.