Dean of Admissions and Enrollment Larry Waters has been placed on leave while Ball State University restructures his department and searches for new staff, university officials said Thursday.
At least two people are known to have left the department, and staff estimated half a dozen others have left in the past several months. The university posted five positions on the University Human Resource Services Web site within Admissions.
The advertised positions are assistant director of admissions, associate director of admissions, associate director of admissions for operations, director of admissions and orientation and the new associate vice president for enrollment management. The associate vice president position is also advertised in the Sept. 1 issue of the Chronicle for Higher Education.
"From my observations after being here a year," Tom Taylor, vice president for Enrollment, Marketing and Communications, said, "we are trying to determine the best structure to move the department forward."
Restructuring Admissions and Enrollment was Taylor's idea, he said, noting that he hopes to have a total of two associate vice president positions in the department.
President Jo Ann Gora was questioned about Waters' leave of absence Thursday at the University Senate meeting, but declined to explain it.
"It's a personnel matter," she said.
Although he is Waters' supervisor, Taylor would not comment on when or if Waters would resume his duties as dean.
Taylor said he believed Waters would retire soon and two new associate vice president hires would fulfill Waters' former duties.
When contacted at his home, Waters declined to comment and directed all questions to Taylor.
While the starting date of Waters' leave could not be confirmed, Chris Munchel, senior assistant director of admissions and interim director of orientation, said Taylor asked him to cover Waters' position on Aug. 22 or 23.
Admissions and Enrollment staff members said they were unaware of the reasons for the leave of absence, but were told Waters was not having health problems.
While Waters is on leave, the restructuring of his department continues without him, Taylor said.
"It's always a challenge when, as you stay, you are short-staffed, but you have people step up and rise to the occasion," he said.
During the past several months, there have been many staffing changes in Admissions and Enrollment, Registrar and Financial Aid, Heather Shupp, associate vice president for Marketing and Communications, said.
Marcia Kelly, former associate director for Admissions and Enrollment, is now the director of development for University Developing. Penny Bundy, former associate director of admissions, is now the admissions director for Western Michigan University. Both recently left the admissions department, Shupp said.
Most of the staff that left took positions with more opportunity and higher pay, or have been transferred to other positions at Ball State, Taylor said.
As the searches continue, more changes will be in store for the department, Taylor said.
"From my perspective, I think it's going well," he said. "I think people understand the direction I want to take us. We are moving forward. It's always challenging when you're trying to bring people up to speed."
To view the open positions, go to the University Human Resource Services Web site.
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