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March 21, 2006

Student Affairs

Student Affairs appoints new vice presidents

The office is reorganizing to create new programs to better serve students.

Story by: I’sha Gaines

The Shorthorn staff

The Student Affairs department will be reorganized and new programs will be created, said Frank Lamas, vice president for Student Affairs.

Dr. Lamas held a meeting to answer questions about the department’s reconstruction Monday. The decision to reorganize was announced March 9.

Lamas said he moved some departments around to make Student Affairs more organized. He also moved some of his current staff up to assistant vice presidents to head the departments.

He said he was prompted to make these changes after Austin Lane, former Dean of Students, resigned in October 2005 to take a position at Tyler Community College.

Lamas will become the new Dean of Students and also remain the Vice President for Student Affairs.

Lamas said he will spread some of the responsibilities to his newly appointed assistant vice president — Pat O’Neil, assistant vice president of Student Affairs; Jeff Sorenson, director of Student Governance and activities; Mardie Sorenson, director of Student Activities; and Doug Kuykendall, director of Campus Recreation — so that Student Affairs will be more effective.

Lamas said he choose these four because they have worked extensively with the university and with Student Affairs.

“I felt they would do a very good job with their additional responsibilities and duties,” he said.

Lamas also has plans to create a Parent and Family Center, Student Conduct and Mediation Service, a Student Media Center and a Director of Development and Community Relations.

He said he talked to the Student Affairs Department, Provost Dana Dunn and Student Congress to see how they felt about the changes.

“I wanted to give everyone a voice in how we would organize in the future,” he said.

Lisa Nagy, newly appointed director of Student Affairs Administration and Special Assistant to the Vice President, said her new position is busy and challenging.

Nagy said she thinks the changes by Lamas are positive because now the department is able to pool together their resources and use them more effectively. She said that though change can be rough, she feels it will be good for the department because they can better serve the students.

Josh Sawyer, Student Congress president and architecture senior, said the new groups are exciting and that he is glad the university is taking an advance toward them. He said the changes will work together by making the staff’s and Lamas’ job easier and will help students navigate through the department easier.

“I’m glad they are working hard at it so that students will know where to go,” he said.

CORRECTION

In the article, the names of Jeff Sorensen, Student Governance and Organizations director; and Pat O’Neill, assistant vice president for Student Affairs, were misspelled.

The article should have stated that Student Affairs appointed new assistant vice presidents.

The article should have stated that Jeff Sorensen, Mardie Sorensen and Doug Kuykendall are now assistant vice presidents. Pat O’Neill is already an assistant vice president.

The headline should have stated that assistant vice presidents were appointed.