Dear Colleagues:
As a follow-up action to the Academic Convocation of 6 October 2004, I am pleased to announce changes in personnel and the organization of the Provost’s Office.
Effective immediately, I am creating an integrated Office of Assessment and Institutional Research. This new unit brings together two existing functions to provide a single focus for data collection and analyses as they relate to the academic effectiveness of Towson University and particularly to planning. While retaining identification of the different objectives for assessment and institutional research, in my view this union provides a ?value added,? through the commitment to the integrity of data and how we use data to modify our programmatic directions. The institutional research group, which has provided the university with almost heroic service, especially through the current transition to the PeopleSoft system, will move over to this new created unit. To handle all the work I am expecting this newly formed unit to do, we will shortly be announcing a search for the Director of Institutional Research to join this group.
Today, I am pleased to announce that Ms. Linda Suskie, who has served ably as the Director of Assessment, will assume leadership of this new unit as an Associate Vice President working directly with me. Linda brings to this new position nearly 30 years of experience in university administration in the areas of assessment, institutional research, and strategic planning at Millersville University in Pennsylvania, the State University of New York at Oswego, and the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Moreover, she has served as Director of the American Association for Higher Education?s Assessment Forum and as a Fellow at the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. She is an internationally recognized speaker, writer, and consultant on a wide variety of higher education assessment topics, including planning assessment programs, crafting learning goals, assessment tools, student learning styles, and using assessment results to improve teaching and learning. She has been an active member of numerous professional organizations and groups, serving as program chair for the Mid-Atlantic Region of the Society for College & University Planning, treasurer of the North East Association for Institutional Research, a proposal reviewer for the Journal of College Student Retention, and an active member of many professional task forces, panels, and committees. Her latest book is Assessment of Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide (Anker, 2004). Among her other publications are Assessment to Promote Deep Learning (American Association for Higher Education, 2000), and Questionnaire Survey Research: What Works (Association for Institutional Research, 1996). Ms. Suskie has taught graduate courses in assessment and educational research methods and undergraduate courses in writing, statistics, and developmental mathematics. She holds a bachelor?s degree in quantitative studies from Johns Hopkins University and a master?s in educational measurement and statistics from the University of Iowa.
At the same time, I am equally delighted to announce the appointment of Ms. Cheryl Mannon as Academic Management and Information Systems Specialist, reporting to Mr. Lonnie McNew, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management. In this position, Ms. Mannon will coordinate the development and utilization of automated systems supporting Academic Affairs and serve as technology liaison between the Enrollment Management unit, academic departments, and the Office of Technology Services. Her first major project will be the resource coordination or implementation of the PeopleSoft degree audit system. Cheryl brings to this position exceptional experience and knowledge of the PeopleSoft system, a strong background in enrollment services, and extensive knowledge of Towson academic policies and requirements. Her prior experiences include serving as Registrar, California School of Professional Psychology, Associate Registrar, Towson University, and Senior Student System Application Analyst, Towson University. She has worked closely with academic departments and enrollment management staff in all of those roles. Ms. Mannon holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a Master of Science degree in Human Resources Development, both from Towson University.
I hope that you will join me in welcoming these colleagues to their new positions. I am truly excited about these new appointments, so that the Office of the Provost is configured to offer the students, staff, and faculty more cutting edge services at the academic heart of Towson University.
