WKU retitles positions as associate vice presidents

Elizabeth Beilman

With a fairly new provost comes a new way of running things.

Gordon Emslie, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, recommended at the open forum March 25 that certain divisions be remodeled.

Among those was his own — the office of the provost.

Per Emslie’s suggestions, Richard Miller, associate vice president for Academic Affairs and chief diversity officer, will become vice provost.

Miller will also act as the provost in Emslie’s absence.

“I’m going to have pretty much the same responsibilities as before,” Miller said.

These responsibilities include faculty policies and procedures, working with department heads and deans and dealing with personnel-related matters, he said.

“The only real change is that the Student Publications will now fall under me,” Miller said.

Dale Brown of Enrollment Management, Mike Dale of Academic Budgets and Administration, Sylvia Gaiko of Planning and Program Development, Beth Laves of Extended Learning and Outreach, and Doug McElroy of Academic Enrichment and Effectiveness will all become associate vice presidents for their divisions.

Associate vice presidents report to vice presidents, who report to the president of the university.

“Since I didn’t want to make any one area more important than the other, it’s appropriate all the individuals have the same title,” Emslie said.

He said changes in titles will not result in changes in salaries.

An Academic Affairs Executive Team, made up of the provost, vice provost and associate provost for Graduate and Advanced Studies, will be created.

“We’re primarily an advisory team to the provost on a variety of matters,” Miller said.

The forensics program, Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science, Honors College, and the Office of International Programs will still report to Emslie directly.

Kelly Madole, professor of psychology and chair of the University Senate, said the reorganization is a natural outcome of having a new provost.

“He has a very different management, so this fits better with his management style,” Madole said. “That means a lot of people have to adjust to a new style.”

Madole said it will take time to see whether the new reorganization is functioning efficiently.

But Emslie reiterated that no new positions have been created, but he instead retitled existing spots.

“That just makes everyone of equal standing upon the executive team,” he said.