Following an external review of the University’s practices around recruitment and enrolment in CEPE course-based graduate degree programs, and in line with the Strategic Enrolment Management plan, Acting Provost Jeff Berryman announced Friday that the University has put a new structure in place to support and facilitate these essential programs.
Professor Berryman said that under the new plan, academic and financial responsibility, including student success and orientation, will return to the academic departments and faculties that house these programs.
The office of the new Associate Vice-President Enrolment Management, a role currently filled by Chris Busch, will take responsibility for recruitment of students into these programs. The Office of Enrolment Management will provide the infrastructure to undertake international and domestic recruitment, and co-ordinate and support individual departments, programs, and faculty members who wish to continue to be involved in student recruitment.
The administration of admission and registration will return to the Registrar’s Office, supported by Graduate Studies. Resources from the Centre for Executive and Professional Education have been transferred to the Registrar’s Office so as to centralize these registration tasks. Alice Miller, Registrar, will be working closely with departments and faculties in which these programs operate to create a seamless and streamlined process that respects program autonomy over graduate student admission, but which can deliver timely decisions to applicants.
Following the changes outlined above, the Centre for Executive and Professional Education, currently lead by Jennie Atkins, will take on a new mandate to advance the development of viable continuing education programs. Over the next year, CEPE will evolve into the Centre for Continuing Education. He said this marks a considerable investment by the University into the continuing education space, and provides an important opportunity to develop and offer programs vital to the prosperity of the Windsor-Essex region.
Some administrative matters concerning the staffing of course-based graduate programs will remain with the new Centre for Continuing Education, as will the Centre for English Language Development, which will also be given a mandate to explore its growth potential.
Berryman said the restructuring was designed to merge the administrative functions of course-based graduate programs within existing administrative offices that have traditionally taken carriage of those particular functions, and coincides with the maturation of these important programs. This restructuring has resulted in an overall increase in new staff positions, which have been allocated to the Registrar’s office, to deal with the increased student enrolments in course-based graduate programs. The effective change over date for the restructuring is September 1st, although work is already in progress to ensure the transfer is completed by that date.
The Provost said CEPE was created to spearhead the development of international programs, and that it has delivered in spades on that mandate, saying a great many staff and faculty have been engaged on that journey, with the University owing a debt of gratitude for all their wonderful efforts. He said the actual restructuring is also engaging staff and faculty, but particular thanks are owed to Jennie Atkins, Chris Busch, Alice Miller and Patti Weir, who have worked together to refine and implement the new plan, adding that the University greatly benefits from having highly dedicated people who advance the University’s core missions in innovative and creative ways.
Berryman concluded by telling the campus community that restructuring at this time allows for a consolidation of some administrative activities concerning recruitment, and admission and registration to provide a better management of course based graduate programs. It also frees up resources to develop continuing education at a time when there appears a need and opportunity to do so.