Enrollment and Student Life have started the new year by changing the name of the Career Center, along with several staff additions.
The changes were sent via an email to faculty by Dr. Tamara Long, vice president for enrollment and student life. These changes included several changes to the newly renamed career services department which replaces the former career center.
Jill Fortson was transitioned out of the career services director’s position. The career services department is now under the director of academic advising Nuria Hall, combining the two departments.
“We realized that it is a common practice and even becoming a best practice in career services work across the nation for that to be something of an advising kind of scenario,” Dr. Ryan Richardson, associate president for student life said. “So, we wanted to move it up under academic advising, so now you can receive academic advising from experts who know how to advise you academically.”
Other staff changes include Kelley Wood, director of recruiting who will be leaving the university on Jan. 28. Tim Ehrhart will take over the role of interim director of recruiting.
“We were able to put all those (staff changes) together, the reason we do that is we want to cause the least disruption to the student experience as possible,” said Dr. Richardson. “The reason we make certain changes is we want to enhance the student experience as much as possible.”
PJ Martinez, a former staff member of Hardin Simmons University has taken the position of Associate Dean of Student Engagement. Martinez will be involved in many aspects of students’ day-to-day lives such as Greek Life and on-campus events. This change comes in the wake of Caddie Coupe leaving last semester with Martinez becoming her effective replacement.
“I want to do what the students do, and I want to develop them to be these leaders to create these programs, events and initiatives,” said Martinez. “Also, to instill this experience into the lives of other students and their peers.”
These changes come in a period where in the past nine months student life made many changes to Greek Life on campus. These changes are also happening during a period in late January where the university’s many sororities and fraternities will be beginning the New Member Orientation process.
