Since Interim President David Fowler took the helm of Park University in July 2014, many changes have been planned and now implemented. These changes, many of which have recently been unveiled, will be seen in areas such as finance, student experience, enrollment and branding at Park University.

“These changes are about focus and efficiency for the university,” said Fowler.

One of the university’s biggest changes for more efficiency is the recent collaboration between Marketing Communications with University Advancement.

“It will now be External Affairs and Marketing Communication,” said Fowler. “This encompasses all things engaging with communication, marketing, employment groups, fund-raising and such.”

Other changes that will be taking place throughout the rest of the academic year are changes in executive staff.

Dr. Michael Droge, chancellor, will retire at the end of the academic year, which is June 30. Bill Lawson, who joined the Park University community Feb. 2, will serve as academic expansion officer. In his new role, Lawson has been shadowing Droge in order to continue the work Droge has started with academic expansion efforts.

“Bill will not become our next chancellor,” said Fowler. “We will not have another chancellor. Instead, Bill will take on the role of continuing work to derive academic expansion efforts.”

Clarinda Creighton, who has served as Park’s associate vice president of student affairs for a number of years, will retire at the end of March.

“We want to recognize and honor those who are retiring this year,” Fowler said. “They have given many years of service and dedication to Park.”

Dorla Watkins, who is currently vice president for administration and enrollment, will take Creighton’s place but with more responsibilities.

All student-related aspects including student affairs, enrollment, marketing and athletics will fall under Watkins’ new job duties as vice president of student affairs and enrollment.

Watkins has also announced plans to retire from Park June 30, in which the university will begin a professional search to find a candidate to succeed Watkins once her retirement is effective.

“We are starting this search immediately in order to hire the most seasoned professional with necessary skill sets in this competitive market,” Fowler said. “We want to do so within a specific time-frame to make sure there is some overlap during the transition.”

Rita Weighill has also stepped down from her role as vice president of marketing and communications to become director of student marketing.

With her new role, Weighill will focus singularly on student marketing and will handle marketing, branding, student experience and enrollment.

Another change taking place at Park involves the search for a permanent chief financial officer.

Matthew Van Hoesen, who is serving as Park’s interim chief financial officer, is a candidate for the position, Fowler said.

Another change among administration is the Human Resources department will now report directly to the president of the university.

“In order to strive towards a high-performance culture for the university and since I am driving this need for high-performance professionals, I want this to be front and center,” said Fowler.

While students may not take much notice to the updates in administration, Fowler said the university is doing all it can to keep its focus on students, particularly with budgetary matters.

“Park is on sound financial standing,” Fowler said. “We have a solid endowment, we are in a good cash position and we have not had to access our line of credit thus far.”

Fowler also said while the university is in good standing currently, officials are doing all they can to continue that financial success.With enrollment numbers unexpectedly lower than last year, the university is making adjustments similar to other universities across the nation.

One specific change is adjusting tuition in order to meet revenue needs.

“We are adapting to the new normal with fewer people going to college,” he said. “Our goal is to make sure we don’t see our tuition revenue too high. We have a better idea of our tuition revenue now that we did at the beginning of the school year.”

Fowler emphasized the university is moving forward from steep budget cuts last school year.

“We are not going to use head count to balance the budget,” he said. “We’re not going to cut back student services. Our whole objective is to not have a repeat of last year.”

In April of the 2013-14 academic year, Park University officials announced $10 million were to be cut from the university’s budget for the remainder of that year.

In order to make ends meet for the budget in the final few months of that year, a voluntary separation program was offered to university faculty and staff to leave their positions at Park.

Instead of following along that path again, Fowler said he wants the university to focus on high performance.

“I want to make sure we are driving our focus and efficiency in the right places across the university,” he said, “and one way I want to do that is by striving towards high performance with our employees.

“This is a glass half-full opportunity for the university. I want to see our university faculty and staff take opportunities to enhance their role within the university.”