As The University of Toledo seeks its next provost, the Division of Academic Affairs is being reorganized to include the teams responsible for recruiting and retaining students to better serve Rockets throughout their journey from prospective students to UToledo alumni.
UToledo’s next provost and executive vice president for academic affairs will have the additional responsibility for overseeing enrollment management and student affairs, two units that currently are led by vice presidents who report to the president.
“By bringing together our student admissions, student success and student support services all within the Office of the Provost, we can better coordinate our efforts to ensure we have the best resources and services our students need to be successful and complete their degree at UToledo,” President Gregory Postel said.
The provost search process is underway with the goal of having the next chief academic officer named soon and in place prior to the next academic year.
The next provost will have the opportunity to organize their team, however, some changes are happening in advance to assist with the transition.
Timed with the departure of David Meredith, vice president for enrollment management, at the end of the calendar year, Greg MacDonald, a senior director with Huron Consulting Group, will assume interim leadership of the enrollment team.
MacDonald
“I want to thank Dave for his efforts to address the enrollment challenges UToledo has been facing for a number of years and that were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Postel said. “We are better positioned today for future success and have a dedicated team committed to recruiting and retaining students.”
MacDonald has more than 30 years of experience in enrollment management, most recently retiring in 2022 from Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania as vice president for enrollment management after almost a dozen years at the school.
Huron has previously worked with UToledo on its budget modernization initiative and is working with UToledo on an assessment of enrollment operations to identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. Huron also is assisting UToledo with a successful transition to the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as FAFSA, and other actions to support improvements in the financial aid budget process and communications to students.
In addition, the University’s Office of Student Financial Aid and Rocket Solution Central operations will transition to the Office of Finance and Administration to improve customer service for students and streamline coordination. Within Student Affairs, new student orientation will become part of the portfolio to improve engagement at the University early in a student’s campus experience along with the Military Service Center and ROTC.
The administration of the Jesup Scott Honors College and University College also will move into the Office of the Provost effective spring semester 2024. Both will retain their college names to retain the strong sense of student identity and to emphasize the high-quality academic experiences offered by these colleges.
Oversight of the Honors curriculum will be led by a program director instead of a dean and associate dean. UToledo will continue to have a University-wide Honors Council with representation from all undergraduate degree-granting programs with honors awards to provide curricular oversight. A dedicated Honors staff that provides student services, support for the Honors Living Learning Community and support for other Honors student activities and experiences will remain in place.
University College will continue to provide general studies, university studies and liberal studies degree programs. The college’s non-degree-granting programs, including College Credit Plus and exploratory studies, will be organized into a student success and advising structure in the Provost’s Office that is still being finalized. To prioritize strategic plan goals for online education, the University’s online education functions, called UToledo Online, will be separated from University College and led by an associate vice provost.
