The WKU Faculty Senate hosted the new Assistant Provost for Student Success & Online Learning, Thursday for the first time since her promotion last semester.
Holli Drummond, who served for six years as the chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminology, had a chance to discuss her new position and its responsibilities, and to open a dialogue with faculty about academic advising.
When Drummond met with Provost Bud Fischer last summer, she said he “asked for a thoughtful review and a recommendation for undergraduate advising, a model which will best serve us in the future.”
Drummond told faculty she’s learned the issue of undergraduate advising was of particular concern as she’s explored her new scope of responsibilities. Drummond said she first reached out to Student Government Association President Rush Robinson and Dean of Students Martha Sales at the advice of Fischer. Now, her circle includes the five academic deans, University Registrar Jennifer Hammonds and Honors College Director Lindy Davidson, who have prior experience with advising services at other institutions, and Stephanie Pritchard, Assistant Director of Academics for Regional Campuses.
“By early December, we were given an official charge, and at the heart of that charge was this idea,” Drummond said. “In light of changing student needs, institutional priorities and national best practices, WKU seeks to examine and potentially redesign its advising model to enhance effectiveness, efficiency and student engagement across all programs and colleges.”
Drummond said that WKU’s current advising system is a complex hybrid model with at least 10 different units, which her new 16-member committee hopes to streamline.
“This work doesn’t exist in isolation,” Drummond said. “This student success initiative requires collaboration across organizational structures that we recognize can sometimes be siloed and not chat among one another.”
Drummond said the committee will launch two surveys on April 6 to gather feedback from students and advisors on their experiences with the present advising system, and noted the importance of managing advisor workloads. The hope is to develop an action plan and executive summary by Sept. 1, with recommendations for a new system, Drummond said.
Focuses include stronger, modernized academic advising, more intentional integration of academic and career planning, and more proactive support for students through better use of data and technology.
“At the end of the day, this is really about moving toward a more coordinated model of student support,” Drummond said. “Recognizing in part that academic advising is more than just for scheduling, helping the students make informed decisions, stay on track, and be prepared for what comes next.”
Drummond noted the importance of supporting students through their unique, individual academic journey and that some students have a harder time than others adjusting to college life. Students come to WKU faced with different challenges depending on their backgrounds and the resources available to them.
“We’ve been…thinking about supporting students through transitions,” Drummond said. “Some of us linger a little bit longer in that transition and may need a little bit more specialized support.”
Drummond’s purview now includes Advising and Career Development, Adult Learner Services, the Living-Learning Communities programs, the First-Generation program, partnerships with WKU Athletics and WKU Online.
Preview Day
Fischer said that WKU will host around 800 people Friday, March 27, at the newly unveiled Tim and Sarah Ford Fieldhouse for Preview Day.
WKU Preview Day is an open house event that gives prospective students a chance to visit campus and learn about the university’s academic and extracurricular offerings. Students and their families are also able to connect with representatives from different offices and departments and learn more about WKU.
Budget
Preliminary budgeting for Fiscal Year 2027 is underway, but Faculty Senate Chair Dan Clark and Provost Fischer both relayed that the process is being held up by the Kentucky Legislature, which is still in closed session for funding.
Fischer said the legislature has to pass a budget by April 1, so more should be known soon. The university’s budget deadline is in June.
Fischer also said that the university still “looks good” for FY26 and that they hope to “make sure we come in as close to zero as possible.”
Faculty Departure
Gatton Academy Director Lynette Breedlove, who has been in her position since Fall 2014, will be leaving WKU as of June. Fischer said a search committee is underway and that a new director should be selected by July.
