Many changes mark my first year as president. New faces, new leadership, new possibilities have all emerged to challenge and inspire me. Each decision has been an exercise in learning more about our four remarkable colleges and their excellent faculty, our centers for community engagement, our impressive athletics program, our loyal alumni, our dedicated staff and the promising students we serve. Every member of our faculty and staff has welcomed me warmly and provided the context required for me to make significant decisions on your behalf. Thank you for your patience during repeated calls on nights and weekends, as well as during regular office hours.

Some changes evolved naturally and others were urgent. Throughout them all, my desire has been to enhance the credibility and integrity of Coastal Carolina University so that a majority of changes in the future can be by our collective choice, instead of through mandates from legislative or regulatory bodies and our Board of Trustees. Our most recent changes by choice have resulted from a new report on the state of affairs at our university.

Nearly 200 university stakeholders were interviewed in March, during a very successful visit by the Fisher Group, a team of nationally respected educational consultants. Our Board of Trustees invited Dr. James Fisher and his team to evaluate university strengths and weaknesses, and to recommend an organizational structure commensurate with our mission and strategic initiatives. I am pleased to announce that we have received this report, and the following changes are either completed or underway:

1. Will Garland, The Interim Vice President of Business Affairs will also supervise the Office of Human Resources and Equal Opportunity. His title will change to Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration. This structure works for other comprehensive universities and reduces the number of my direct reports so that I may focus more upon acquiring more resources for the university.
2. Student Services will operate from the Office of the Provost, with Dr. Sheehan assuming the duties as Senior Vice-President of Academic and Student Affairs.
3. The Office of Marketing Communications, University Relations, Public Relations, Marketing (for both academics and athletics), as well as fundraising and alumni activities will be the responsibility of the Senior Vice-President of University Advancement. A search for this expanded position will begin shortly.
4. Executive Vice President Eddie Dyer will remain as University Counsel and will direct an exciting initiative, Vision 2054, designed to improve and enhance facilities and community service opportunities for the university.
5. I will focus more energy upon grant acquisition, fundraising and public/private partnership opportunities to improve campus facilities, expand our geographic footprint in the region, , as well as continuing to build improved relationships and collaborative efforts across our state.

If you would like to read the Fisher report, please go the Web link below. If you have questions afterward, please ask. It is my expectation that the Fisher report, combined with our strategic planning process, will improve our university through a renewal of our mission, objectives and spirit. So, if you see a bounce in my step or hear fresh energy in my voice, please understand that, in the midst of change, I have found renewal. I hope you have, too.

http://www.coastal.edu/about/fisherReport.pdf