By Paul A. Anthony, Editor in Chief

A major reorganization has created a new office that combines the offices of marketing and alumni into one entity.

The office of University and Alumni Relations will begin operation March 1 directed by Michelle Morris, currently the director of marketing and public relations, a university spokeswoman told the Optimist.

“The primary reason was to get some synergy going between our enrollment office and our alumni office,” said Jack Rich, executive vice president of the university, and under whose jurisdiction the new office will fall.

The reorganization also includes the hiring of a director of alumni relations: Amber Peck, who was coordinator of alumni outreach. The alumni director’s position had been vacant since the fall.

The offices of marketing and public relations, alumni relations and university events all will be moved under Morris’ direction. However, their physical locations will not change.

“No one will move,” Rich said. “It’s just a paper move.”

The move will enable marketing and public relations to work more closely with enrollment, alumni and events, Morris said. She added that Dr. Royce Money, university president, engineered the shift.

“There are some big events on the horizon,” Morris said. “We really need to focus on enrollment. I think it’s an effort by Dr. Money to create something new.”

Marketing and publice relations handles the university’s press releases and media relations. Univeristy events plans events such as the President’s Circle Dinner, Hilton Room lunches and other events for various campus groups.

Alumni relations’ most visible role is the organization of Homecoming, which was planned this October without a director. Former alumni director Mark Meador resigned his post in August.

Morris said Peck’s hiring would not affect Homecoming plans because Peck had been involved with the planning team the past three years.

“It’s really not that different for them,” Morris said. “They kept everything going.”