Purdue Extended Campus units to undergo administrative changes

To better serve audiences and align with other areas of the University that pursue similar goals, the reporting structure of units in Purdue Extended Campus will change effective April 1.

Under the realignment, the following changes will occur:

* Purdue's Conference Division will become part of the Office of Engagement. Nick Bonora, the division's interim director, will report to Steve Abel, associate vice president for engagement.

* All functions related to online learning will become a unit called Digital Education. A director of digital education will be determined at a later date. The director will report to Frank Dooley, vice provost for teaching and learning.

* All information technology staff will report through the Office of the Vice President for Information Technology and CIO.

* Purdue Extended Campus employees who work on calendaring services will report through the Office of Marketing and Media in the Office of Public Affairs.

* Mary Sadowski, dean of Purdue Extended Campus and professor of computer graphics technology, will return to her faculty on July 1, 2015.  From April to July, she will assist the provost to formulate a digital education strategy.

The Purdue Extended Campus employees who reported through Business Services will continue to do so. Most of Purdue Extended Campus' 55 employees will experience no change in direct supervisor or day-to-day activities, Abel says.

The Provost Advisory Group for Digital Education and Environments recently completed a draft report (to be released soon) that summarizes the state of digital education on campus. Informed by this report and discussions, the online program activities will be given a new identity and branding through the Provost's Office while retaining the decentralized model. Given the mutually beneficial nature of partnerships developed between Purdue and the various groups and organizations historically served through conferences, recognition is made of the clear association of Conferences with Engagement. A working group led by Kevin Vedder is looking at ways to streamline operations coordinated among Conferences, Housing and Food Services, and PMU.

"This change is going to be beneficial to all involved, including employees and our students, because areas that had previously been part of Purdue Extended Campus are better aligned with other areas at the University," Abel says.

"Purdue Extended campus has a long, rich history of innovative programs and service to both students and off-campus audiences. This realignment will allow us to better serve everyone so we can continue to offer innovative and necessary programs and services well into the future."

The realignment was communicated to Purdue Extended Campus employees on March 12-13.