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History of SVSU: 1989-2013
The departure of a key administrator sometimes drives organizational changes. In 2001, the incumbent vice president for administration & business affairs resigned. The assistant vice president, who was also controller, succeeded him, and the assistant’s position was redefined simply as controller, reflecting the lessening of responsibility. SVSU, by the way, has enjoyed extremely sound fiscal management, a string of clean audits and a superb bond rating from Moody’s.10 In spring 2002, the director of engineering services title changed to assistant vice president, campus facilities. Two new positions were added: director, custodial and grounds operations and — in response to rapid expansion of the university’s physical plant — director construction and maintenance operations. The following academic year, the director, custodial and grounds operations changed titles again, to director of process improvement. A number of internal changes in reporting lines took place in 2003-2004 generating a new set of position designations. With the elimination of the position of vice president for public affairs, the director of the University Conference and Events Center (UCEC) moved to the Administration & Business Affairs division. The incumbent became the special assistant to the president for governmental affairs. In 2013, UCEC changed its name to The Conference Center at SVSU and assumed additional sales and marketing responsibilities of overseeing public-related events at the Ryder Center. The increasing size of the university around 2004-2005 put added pressure on campus security, leading to a redefinition of titles in the Public Safety function. The incumbent director of public safety became the director of university police and, in the following year, chief of university police. In 2005-2006, the Administration & Business Affairs division gained an assistant to the vice president. In 2006-2007, the administration eliminated three positions: director of construction and maintenance operations; director of process improvement; and director of business development. Director of business services dropped from the organizational chart in 2007-2008. The director of auxiliary operations become the assistant vice president for business services in 2008-2009 when the vice president received a promotion to executive vice president for administration & business affairs. The addition of two new positions that year was a reflection of other changes to the focus and structure of the university: director of athletics and director of scholarships & financial aid.
Public Affairs
SVSU draws life from its constituencies and responds by nourishing them: socially, artistically and intellectually. Good planning in this space is essential to the university’s health. At SVSU, the realm of “public affairs” serves as a high level responsibility, though not a formal division or department. It encompasses relationships with Michigan’s government, a source of substantial if diminishing funding; private fundraising; the nurturing of alumni; community outreach and partnerships; and integrated marketing and communications. In 1990-1991, the university acknowledged the importance of public affairs with the creation of a division with a vice president managing it. Initially, it included Continuing Education and Public Services; Admissions, which in 1995-1996 moved to Student Services
