To: Faculty and Staff
From: Cady Short-Thompson, Ph.D.
President, Northern Kentucky University
Date: 01/09/24
Subject: Leadership Changes
Dear Colleagues,
Happy New Year! I hope this email finds you rested and reenergized after an extended winter break with your family and friends, which was extended even further by Mother Nature!
I am writing to share an update about leadership changes related to our university’s priorities. First, as you’re aware, I have spent the last year working with many leaders and units on campus to strengthen our strategic enrollment management (SEM). Our multi-constituent SEM planning task force, co-chaired by Ryan Padgett and Abdou Ndoye, is halfway through the planning process of our three-year SEM plan. It has become clear to me through engaging in this process that to operationalize and maximize future strategies in both enrollment management and financial aid, these areas each need a strong leader who can devote their attention and focus to those critical functions in order for us to succeed in this highly competitive higher education landscape.
As such, effective immediately, I have promoted Dr. Ryan Padgett (currently Associate Provost, Strategic Enrollment Planning and Student Success) to serve as our Chief Strategic Enrollment Management Officer (CSEMO). I am also supporting a change in portfolio and title for Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Management Leah Stewart to Assistant Vice President of Financial Aid and Operations.
In the CSEMO role, Ryan will be accountable for all aspects of enrollment management including: strategy, execution, and management of personnel and outcomes. As such, our Admissions personnel will be added to Ryan’s current portfolio of direct reports effective immediately. Ryan will report directly to me as well as serve on the cabinet. The CSEMO role will focus on overall university enrollment strategies and outcomes, with a primary focus on our undergraduate enrollments and pipelines. Ryan will work closely with internal and external leaders to bolster those pipelines, partnerships, and pathways into NKU to create short and long-term enrollment success.
In the financial aid realm, an area of critical importance for recruiting and retaining our students, Leah will continue to play a key role as partner and leader in this dynamic FAFSA environment where student financial support has never been more critical. This change will also allow us to make a necessary investment in our students’ financial aid and scholarship needs. Guiding students through the cost to attend college – including proactive outreach about scholarship and aid – needs to be our focus for the foreseeable future, and we need to bolster our ability to work closely with prospective and current students. I am grateful that Leah will step up to devote more of her time and invaluable expertise to the planning, execution, and nurturance of the processes, policies, and technologies for our students’ important financial aid packages and scholarships. This prioritization will also accelerate the creation of new processes to align our various scholarship funds with financial aid distributions, maximizing our support of our students. Additionally, Leah will nurture an evolving One Stop Center to best meet our students’ needs. Given that 95% of our students are financial aid recipients, these thorough, thoughtful wraparound supports will help our Norse to better understand and navigate college finances.
I want to express my gratitude for the incredible work and leadership that both Ryan and Leah have exhibited in their roles to date. Given the major changes in higher education and fierce competition which have made recruitment and financial aid administration more labor intensive, it is critical to allow each of them to focus on their new respective areas to help NKU continue to recruit students as well as possible, and support their financial needs to recruit and retain them. We are fortunate to have such devoted and hard-working colleagues as Leah and Ryan in these roles as we continue to navigate the challenges and changes facing higher education. As I make these immediate changes, I ask for your support of our leaders and patience as we manage the accompanying changes.
Finally, I’ve asked the provost to lead a reorganization within Academic Affairs to address recent changes and ongoing searches that impact our structure and work, thus creating long-term stability within Academic Affairs. This includes reviewing the best placement for Ryan’s current team and considering whether other enrollment management staff, beyond Admissions, should join the CSEMO team. We’ll also assess the impact of the new roles, such as the VP of Student Affairs, Executive Director of the Norse Network Hub and Vice Provost of Online, Graduate Education, Research and Outreach. Please note this reorganization of portfolios within academic affairs aims to improve our work, create better alignment and structures. It is not a reduction in positions.
To ensure this process is thoughtful and inclusive, Diana will collaborate with the Academic Affairs Council, the cabinet and shared governance leadership to gather input. She will submit a proposed organizational chart by March 1, 2025. If you have suggestions, please share them through this survey (Academic Affairs reorganization survey) or at the town hall meeting on January 28 from 9-10:30 a.m.
I am excited to work with you to create a structure that meets both our current and future needs. Together, I’m confident we will find the best solution.
Best Regards,
Cady
