A growing university inevitably finds its administration undergoing constant change and growth, and Portland State University fits that pattern.
Since spring term ended last June, the university has seen sweeping changes in some of its most crucial administrative functions. Even more shifts lie ahead.
Probably the most significant change came in the Office of Finance and Administration. Next to the president, this can be called the most powerful administrative office in the university. It holds the purse strings and directly oversees the bulk of administrative functions.
At the end of July, George Pernsteiner departed this post to become vice chancellor of Administrative Services at the University of California, Santa Barbara. This set up a dramatic sequence of events in the office.
Jay Kenton, Pernsteiner’s chief deputy as associate vice president for finance and planning, had already announced his resignation as of June 30, to become vice president for finance and administration at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Wash. He had served at Portland State for 14 years.
University President Daniel Bernstine offered the PSU vice president’s post to Kenton, and Kenton accepted after Central Washington released him from his commitment.
This left Kenton’s old position vacant, and it was speedily filled by Cathy Dyk. She was director of business affairs at Portland State from 1996 to November 2000, and for six months prior to that had served as human resources director for the Portland State Foundation.
Dyk had left to take a position in private business in Southern California and was a quick choice of the university to fill Kenton’s former post.
Bernstine added some muscle to his own administrative staff by appointing Don McClave, longtime president of the Metropolitan Portland Chamber of Commerce, as special assistant for corporate affairs. He started Sept. 1, having retired from his chamber post June 30.
McClave’s responsibility is to improve the university’s standing with community and business leaders. The appointment became another reflection of Bernstine’s long-standing practice to weld the university and the community together in their shared interests.
After the finance and administration leadership, facilities probably represents the next most crucial administrative post. It has been under the interim directorship of Robyn Pierce since Brian Chase left in May for a similar position at Colorado State University.
Martin Pittioni, executive assistant to Kenton, says the university is close to choosing a new facilities director. The last three of four finalist candidates visited the campus for interviews last week. The search committee was to meet Wednesday at 4 p.m. to evaluate the interviews. The committee, under the leadership of Duncan Carter, a professor of Engish and an associate dean, is expected to make a recommendation soon. Pittioni predicts Kenton probably will announce an appointment to the post in the next week to 10 days.
Another new administrative appointment is expected soon in the Office of Human Resources, which Cathy LaTourette heads as associate vice president. The position is for a senior human resources manager.
“We hopefully will make a decision by the end of the week,” LaTourette says. She emphasizes the hire does not mean she is adding staff. In the economy layoffs of last spring, she saw her office reduced from 22 employees to 16. She then instituted a reorganization of the office and some shifting of focus. The hiring of a senior manager became one element of that shift.
LaTourette says the university received resumes from 80 applicants and gradually reduced them to three.
“Tomorrow is our final interview,” she said Monday. “We’ve been a very, very lean staff. We’ve been doing more with less.”
One important realignment of administrative posts occurred Oct. 1. The Office of Admissions and Records and the Financial Aid Office were consolidated. Sam Collie, who had headed the financial aid office, assumed the new title of executive director of admissions, records and financial aid.
Agnes Hoffman, former director of admissions and records, became associate vice provost for enrollment management and student affairs.
Douglas Samuels, vice provost for student affairs, engineered the change, explaining he sees a need to combine the services, since their functions overlap somewhat.
On Sept. 20, John Fowler ended his career as director of campus public safety after eight and a half years. He wanted to reunite with his family in Seattle by taking a position with the police department there.
Michael Soto, a sergeant with the Public Safety Office and a veteran of 22 years with the office, took over as interim chief. Soto will be one of the applicants for the permanent position.
“We’ll be lucky to have a decision on that position by the end of fall term,” Pittioni said. The first solicitation ads were published last Sunday and the first search committee meeting will occur some time this week.
A new position with a renamed administrative office beckoned Wendy Endress. She came to the campus in August of 2001 from the University of Maryland, where she headed the Office of Commuter Affairs and Community Service.
Her first assignment here was interim director for student development. She now is dean of students and associate vice provost for student affairs. The former Office of Student Development has morphed into the student activities and leadership program.
One of the activities under Endress’ supervision is the Multicultural Center, which acquired Jon Joiner as interim coordinator. Joiner is also interim adviser to the multicultural student group of organizations.
Academic administration also saw significant changes. Michael Driscoll became vice provost for academic personnel and budget on July 1. He joined the PSU faculty in 1988. At the time of his new appointment, he had been executive dean for the College of Engineering and Computer Science since 2000.
The longtime chair of the department of theater arts, William Tate, stepped down after nine years. The position was taken by Sarah Andrews-Collier. She has been at PSU since 1981 and has been serving as professor of theater arts and also as secretary to the faculty senate.