Penn State's Office of Student Affairs is about to get a facelift.
First order of business -- a re-examination of the department's organizational structure that altered drastically under the wing of Vicky Triponey, former vice president for Student Affairs who resigned this September after four years.
"We've heard from students that our structure is confusing," said Bob Orndorff, special assistant to the vice president for Student Affairs. "We don't know what fits where."
Each director from every division within Student Affairs submitted their own unique organizational charts on Nov. 28 for review in a strategic planning process that will occur throughout the next six weeks, said Barry Bram, associate vice president for student engagement.
Jack Rayman, director of career services, said his chart tried to eliminate the "identity confusion" that can come with differentiating the Center for Student Engagement, Center for Student Activities and Programming and other divisions.
"I think those who work in Student Affairs don't even know what some of these units do," he said. "It has to be somewhat confusing to students."
Toby Jenkins, director of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, agreed.
"In conversations we've had, there's been questions raised like 'Should a lot of these things be a part of an all-encompassing unit as opposed to having disconnected things?' " she said.
Orndorff said the process of revamping should be finished in mid-January.
"In most cases we are shifting assignments and duties. I don't think anyone in Student Affairs feels we can do more with less," Orndorff said. "We aren't looking to do away with people. We want to use people more effectively."
He added that the directors of Student Affairs plan to solicit input from the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA). Hillary Lewis, UPUA president, said the government "hasn't really put forth any recommendations at this time."
The restructuring is in conjunction with the national search to hire a new vice president for Student Affairs that was launched Nov. 30 and should be chosen by this summer, Orndorff said.
Gail Hurley, vice president of auxiliary and business services, accepted the interim position after Triponey's resignation.
Two college faculty members, two faculty with administrative appointments, seven administrators from key Student Affairs and college or central roles and one member from Student Affairs at a commonwealth campus will form the search committee, said Robert Pangborn, vice president and dean of undergraduate education and committee chair.
Lewis and Bobby Casiano, president of the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments, will serve as student representatives to the committee.
Orndorff said no immediate effort will be made this year to replace associate vice presidents for Student Affairs, Felicia McGinty and Michael Gilbert, until a vice president is chosen. McGinty left in August, and Gilbert left in the summer.
"If we would have hurried up, we would have only gotten 5 percent of the pool that's out there," Orndorff said. "First things first; timing is critical. We need to get the head honcho in here first."
