To kick off his second week in office, newly-appointed Augusta University President Russell Keen announced Monday afternoon via email some leadership changes.
“I have a deep conviction for creating campus culture of excellence and accountability, elevating our research and innovation endeavors, increasing student success and enrollment, and enriching the university’s community engagement,” Keen said in a press release.
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In approaching these objectives with urgency, Keen stated that he will begin aligning the university’s organizational structure to “strengthen our ability to achieve success.”
Purposefully restructuring the scope of the executive vice president for academic affairs and provost to better serve AU’s deans and increase focus on academic units, Keen has selected Graduate School Dean Jennifer Sullivan to serve as the interim executive vice president for academic affairs and provost.
“I am grateful to former Provost Neil MacKinnon for his service and contributions to Augusta University,” Keen said. “I wish him continued success as he focuses on teaching and his research in our School of Public Health.”
In addition, research and enrollment and student affairs will now report directly to the president through two new roles – executive vice president for research and innovation and executive vice president for enrollment and student affairs.
While the vice president of research and innovation will be responsible for charting an aggressive course that advances AU’s goals of reaching R1 status and increased National Institutes of Health rankings, according to the press release, the newly elevated vice president of enrollment and student affairs position will oversee student recruitment, enrollment and success.
“I am elevating the vice president of enrollment and student affairs position to an executive vice president role reporting directly to the president,” Keen said. “Students are our number one priority, and this will further AU’s commitment to build the best student-centered experience in the country.”
Keen has selected the Medical College of Georgia Dean and Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs David Hess to act as the interim vice president for research and innovation, and Susan Davies will remain to serve as the executive vice president for enrollment and student affairs.
“Dr. Hess will also maintain his current role while we commence a national search for the EVP for research and innovation,” Keen said.
To optimize resources, streamline administrative processes and enhance service delivery across the university, the executive vice president for finance and administration and chief business officer position will now include responsibility for human resources and information technology.
“The expansion of scope is reflected in the addition of ‘Administration’ to the current executive vice president for finance and chief business officer,” Keen said. “Executive Vice President for Finance and Chief Business Owner Yvonne Turner will [continue to] serve in this role.”
To create better efficiencies and experiences for AU personnel and stakeholders, Keen said he is reclassifying the role of executive vice president for strategic effectiveness and chief of staff.
According to Keen, the role will provide leadership to communications and marketing, external relations, government relations, and protocol and special events, as well as create an office of organizational effectiveness to maximize administrative efficiencies.
“This role will in no way replace institutional effectiveness, but will work in tandem to create better efficiencies and experiences for our students, faculty, staff and stakeholders,” Keen said.
Director of Organizational Change Management and Strategic Initiatives Jack Evans will serve as the interim leader of the division as a search commences to immediately fill the role.
Seeking to raise a higher standard of excellence and effectiveness with a “results-oriented leader,” Keen also said he is creating the role of executive vice president for philanthropy, alumni and engagement.
“This role will be responsible for development and foundation operations, nurturing relationships, aligning support essential to achieving our ambitious growth targets, and sustaining our statewide mission,” Keen said.
As a national search begins to fill the role, the division will report directly to the EVP for strategic effectiveness and chief of staff.
Endeavoring to strengthen AU’s focus on economic development and emphasize value on mutually beneficial community engagement, Keen has also decided to shift oversight of community engagement to Michael Shaffer, the executive vice president for strategic partnerships and economic development.
“He will work with Associate Vice President of Volunteer Services and Community Engagement Kristina Baggott to further align and grow these essential efforts,” Keen said.
Lastly, Keen has appointed Cedric Johnson, the director of community relations, as the special assistant to the president for stakeholder affairs to advance the level of service and success to internal and external stakeholders.
Keen concluded the email announcement asking all AU personnel to “model civility and respect, while being innovative and challenging the status quo.”
“I am confident that these changes will strategically position us to escalate ideas, issues and concerns in a manner that cultivates higher standards of excellence for our university,” Keen said. “The expectation for all our leaders, interim and named, is to be relentless in pursuing what is best for moving Augusta University forward.”
