One month after Ball State University administrators Tom Taylor and Kay Bales took on their new roles, they remain devoted to interacting with students and helping move the university forward.
Taylor, vice president of marketing, communications and enrollment management, and Bales, dean of the division for student affairs, are embracing their responsibilities for the school year.
“I think things have gone very well thus far,” Bales said. “We’re both very much in the learning mode, and we’ll look for ways to collaborate between the two divisions.”
The central offices for both divisions are located on the second floor of Ball State’s Administration Building.Since Taylor and Bales took on their new roles, other administrative titles had to be adjusted down the line, President Jo Ann Gora said.
“There’s been a realignment of responsibilities,” Gora said.
RESTRUCTURING
Bales, formerly Ball State’s associate vice president of student life, looks forward to overseeing the division of student affairs, for which she reports to Gora.
“There are all kinds of exciting things I’m learning,” Bales said. “I’m having an opportunity to work more closely with departments I have not supervised previously. Our priority is to be responsive to the needs of students.”
She said the goal of student affairs is to provide an opportunity for students to be engaged in the total collegiate experience.
“I think as a dean in the position, you play many roles -- building relationships with members across campus, having relationships with students, building partnerships with the Muncie community, providing leadership and working collaboratively with the staff members in student affairs.”
The division of student affairs consists of multiple areas such as Housing and Residence Life, Multicultural Center, Disabled Student Development, Student Rights and Community Standards, Department of Public Safety and Student Organizations and Activities, Bales said.
Randy Hyman, who served between January and August as interim vice president for student affairs and enrollment management as well as dean of students, is now associate dean of student affairs. He said he oversees several of the division’s areas, which report directly to him.
David Fried, former associate dean of students, is now the director of the office of Student Rights and Community Standards. The office has the same responsibilities as the office of the dean of students did, Fried said.
The office of Student Rights and Community Standards, now located in Student Center Room 224, is responsible for student conduct and administering the code of student rights and responsibilities, Fried said. The office is also responsible for the emergency aid program, which provides emergency assistance to students who have unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, he said. In addition, the office is responsible for absence notification, which allows students who anticipate missing three or more days of class to contact the office, which will contact their instructors, he said.
Fried said the office no longer handles withdrawals; they are now handled by Katie Slabaugh, assistant to the dean for student affairs/ombudsperson.
Fried said Ball State’s administrative restructuring creates excellent opportunities.
“For our office, it provides the opportunity for us down the road to expand our services to students,” Fried said. “It creates greater visibility for the services that we offer to students.”
The office has already seen an increase in the number of students using the emergency aid program since the office moved to the Student Center, he said.
Taylor’s current vice presidential position, for which he reports to Gora, combines the roles of getting Ball State’s name out to the public, attracting students and faculty, improving the image of the university and meeting enrollment goals.
“It will help Ball State to be better recognized, better known,” Taylor said. “The better known we are, the more people will understand what we have to offer and what we’re all about. ”
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
ASSOCIATION
Steve Geraci, SGA president, said he looks forward to working with both Bales and Taylor throughout the year and representing the student voice.
“I think cooperation with the president’s cabinet is one of the most important jobs student government facilitates,” Geraci said. “To represent the student voice to higher-level administration, or all administration for that matter, is an important task.”
Bales has served as SGA’s advisor since 2000, it helped ease the transition, Geraci said.
Aggie Niemiec, assistant director of Disabled Student Development, will now serve as SGA’s advisor for this school year.
“Aggie will certainly be a great support to the organization as they go about their day-to-day business,” Bales said. “We needed to find someone available to students who was close to the work area and had a good working relationship with the students.”
Geraci said Bales has made it clear she will continue to be a resource for SGA.
Bales said she wants to maintain a close working relationship with the senate leadership. Visiting student organizations will also provide an avenue for interacting with students, she said.
“Certainly I have to be intentional in seeking opportunities to spend time with students,” Bales said.
Geraci said he does not know who SGA’s long-term advisor is going to be.
“Although it seems apparent that SGA will not have a role in choosing who the advisor will be, which is frustrating.” Geraci said.��
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