Healthy Campus

Campus update

It has been a very positive, albeit strange week. As you know, 70 percent of classes this semester are being offered in a remote format, while 25 percent are in a flexible delivery mode, and 5 percent (predominantly clinical, studio, and laboratory classes) are face to face. This reduction in student traffic on campus, combined with the majority of employees still working remotely off campus, has resulted in the human footprint on campus being significantly reduced.

As Wright State University operates through this unprecedented crisis, the university is not losing sight of the important work needed to move the university forward to ensure it can be the institution that students, the Dayton region, and the state of Ohio need us to be.

The university would like to update you on a number of changes in leadership, reporting structures, and, in some cases, physical locations, all of which are part of efforts to restructure the administrative and academic enterprise.

Following the retirement of Carl Brun, the university is reconfiguring the position of assistant vice provost for undergraduate curriculum and instruction. It will still primarily focus on assessment, accreditation, and work in conjunction with Faculty Senate on curricular issues. Tammy Kahrig, assistant dean of the College of Education and Human Services, has agreed to serve as interim vice provost for undergraduate curriculum and instruction, assessment, and institutional accreditation. In addition, Cheryl Meyer has returned to the School of Professional Psychology faculty, and interim Provost Douglas Leaman hopes to name an interim vice provost for faculty affairs in the next few weeks.

Craig Woolley, chief information officer, recently accepted the CIO position at Louisiana State University, and Michael Stankas has stepped into the role of interim CIO. With Craig’s departure, the Office of the Registrar will now report directly to the interim provost.

A number of changes have also been made in the President’s Office. As you are aware, Lindsay Miller recently left Wright State, and as a result, the university is in the process of restructuring the Office of Equity and Inclusion. Currently, President Edwards is serving in the role, overseeing inclusive excellence activities and the intercultural centers. Kelli Tittle, director of compliance, has taken on the Title IX coordinator responsibilities. A search is under way for an investigator to handle both Title IX and EEO investigations.

The fall will see the commencement of a number of searches associated with inclusive excellence. The position of executive director for inclusive excellence (previously the chief diversity officer) is one of the most critical searches to move forward. Wright State is following the model used at The Ohio State University and will conduct searches for intercultural specialists to lead each of the intercultural centers, at present many of the centers have interim directors. Those will include searches for intercultural specialists for the Bolinga Black Cultural Resources Center, the Office of Latino and Hispanic Culture, the Office of Asian and Native American Students, and the Office of LGBTQA Affairs. In addition, a change in reporting structure has occurred and Office of Disability Services now reports directly to the Office of the President.

Recently the university announced that Chris Taylor’s position has been retitled to dean of students and the Division of Student Affairs will also report to the Office of the President.

As a part of the restructuring of university financial operations, the director of academic resourcing and chief financial officer positions have been combined into a single position of assistant vice president for financial operations. This position will report to the chief operating officer and oversee Fiscal Services, the Office of the Controller, the Bursar’s Office, and the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness. Integrating the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness into the reporting structure leverages the value and role of data usage in supporting university operations. Burhan Kawosa, formerly interim director of academic resourcing, will serve as the interim assistant vice president for financial operations.

In terms of physical office relocations, the Office of the Bursar has moved to the third floor of University Hall, joining the rest of the Finance Team, and plans are under way for Human Resources and the Wright State Alumni Association to relocate to spaces on campus.

Wright State will continue to update you on university operations as they arise through messages like these and President Edward's regular Webex meetings, which all of the campus community is invited to attend.

Please know that Wright State University appreciates each and every one of you for all of your efforts, contributions, and care for students and each other.