Following months of diligent work in Spring 2023, the Chancellor’s Task Force on Financial Sustainability recommended centralizing key institutional functions to improve quality and efficiency, including the communications and marketing functions. In connection with that recommendation, the University worked with Segal, a highly regarded higher education organizational firm, to conduct a comprehensive assessment. After extensive engagement, Segal recommended strategic reorganization and centralization of communications and marketing to ensure university-wide communications alignment, reduce redundancy and costs, and position the University well to meet current and future key stakeholder demands.
With feedback from campus leadership, the Chancellor made the following key decisions on those recommendations.
- The University Communications Division will be retained and will continue reporting to the Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications, with a search for that Vice Chancellor launching this spring.
- An operational plan will be initiated to begin centralizing marketing and communications positions from all campus units other than Advancement, Athletics, Bryan School, and Enrollment Management. Those units are directed to work in closer partnership with University Communications, particularly around branding, use of external vendors, and advertising spending.
The Chancellor has appointed a working group to design a new operational model. Throughout the fall semester, the working group will clearly define marketing and communications structures and roles, reporting relationships, processes, practices, and funding. The plan will be submitted to the Chancellor by January. Members of the working group are:
- Craig Biles, University Digital Design and Mobile Communications Director, University Communications and Information Technology Services
- Myla Edmond, Interim Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications
- Lindsay Draper, Associate Professor, Professional Track and Director of Faculty Credentialing, Compliance, & Special Initiatives, School of Nursing; Provost’s Fellow
- Kristy Howell, Associate Director, Community Engagement, Institute for Community and Economic Engagement
- Tim Johnson, Director of Housing, Student Affairs
- Dominic Lombardi, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Advancement Operations
- Patricia Lynch, Director of Employee Relations, Office of Human Resources
- Katie MacInnes, Director of Enrollment Communication
- Stuart Markovitch, Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
- Scott Milman, Associate Vice Chancellor, Budget and Finance
- Larissa Witmer, Assistant Dean for Projects and Programs, School of Health and Human Sciences
- Waiyi Tse, Chief of Staff, Chancellor’s Office