Reorganization will bring efficiency

A few administrative staff members received title changes and gained more responsibilities this semester as part of the chancellor’s plan to meet the University’s goals and needs. A new position was also created in UW-River Falls’ senior leadership.

“The reorganization will help us get more in line with the administration’s workload and will make us more efficient in reaching the goals we are after,” Chancellor Don Betz said.

The title changes and the new position will allow for more interaction with the chancellor and better services for students.

“It allows for better connections and communication,” Gregg Heinselman, associate vice chancellor for student affairs, said.

Heinselman’s former title was executive director of student services and programs.

“I gained a few more responsibilities with my title change,” he said.

Among those responsibilities are overseeing health and counseling services, multicultural affairs, judicial affairs and several smaller programs.

“I think it is a better alignment of services for the campus community,” Heinselman said. “It’s designed to make a much more comprehensive focus on student life. Students will be better served due to the collaboration of the departments within student affairs.”

Another staff member receiving a title change is Alan Tuchtenhagen, associate vice chancellor for enrollment services.

Tuchtenhagen’s former title was executive director of enrollment services.

“The reorganization aligned two primary areas with the chancellor,” Tuchtenhagen said. “Those areas are enrollment services and academic affairs.”

Like Heinselman, Tuchtenhagen has more responsibilities as well.

Previously, the enrollment services staff was not very involved with the University’s retention efforts and graduate school admissions.

The reorganization has made enrollment services more active in these areas.

Tuchtenhagen said he hopes the reorganization will help improve enrollment services to students.

“Part of the reorganization is structural, but students will see more of our services online,” he said.

Another plan is to have enrollment services, the registrar and account’s receivable to be located in the same building.

“Right now these services are in two different buildings, on four different floors,” Tuchtenhagen said.

Once Hagestad Hall is renovated, plans to relocate the services in the building will be carried out. This move will not only provide convenience to students, but will also extend the hours of these services.

“It takes these separate offices and puts them together,” Tuchtenhagen said. “This will allow for more staff and students to go to one spot to handle all of their business with our offices.”

Another change in the administrative staff is Blake Fry’s position.

Fry has taken on the title of special assistant to the chancellor, vacating the position of dean of students. Suzanne Hagen was the previous special assistant to the chancellor.

While title changes made up most of the reorganization, one new position was created because Fry will maintain some of his responsibilities from his former role.

That new position is the associate vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Betz said the position will be filled by someone within the University.

“We believe the talent pool is here,” Betz said.

The person who will assume the role of the new position will serve as an important support person to the provost.

Betz said the position will be filled by the beginning of April.