Kelly Wesener Michael became the acting vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management on July 1.

Brian Hemphill, the previous vice president, accepted a new position as president of West Virginia State University.

“These are some big shoes to fill,” said Lisa Freeman, vice president for research and graduate studies. “Dr. Hemphill was here for eight years. He was a great balance of being student-centered and being a good manager of the processes of the student affairs.”

Wesener Michael brings 18 years of experience to the acting vice president position. As a former assistant vice president for student services, Wesener Michael said she believes she brings not only solid leadership skills, but also extensive experience in both program development and budget oversight. Those experiences are key to her new position, she said.

“I believe that a vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management must be the voice of students,” Wesener Michael said. “They must have a strong sense of the needs, concerns and emerging issues of prospective and current students.”

In addition, a vice president must have strong professional experience to lead the day-to-day operations of the Student Affairs division, Wesener Michael said.

Wesener Michael said she is fully aware of the strong foundation Hemphill is leaving behind and plans to build from it.

She said she hopes NIU will work toward creating a strong community which is pro-active, willing to assist others and willing to act in the best interest of the community.

Freeman is chair of the search committee in charge of recommending qualified candidates for Hemphill’s permanent replacement.

The committee hopes to have a permanent replacement in place by July 1, 2013.

Currently, the search committee consists of Freeman and NIU President John Peters, but plans are in place to add representatives from the Student Affairs division, the Provost office, Student Association and faculty, Freeman said.

Freeman said the things that made Hemphill great are what NIU hopes to find in his successor.

“We have such a great opportunity to offer someone and a great amount of people will qualify,” Freeman said. “With the amount of qualified recipients applying, the search will be good and challenging.”