In an effort to increase efficiency and focus some roles and responsibilities, several changes are being made in the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost at New Mexico State University.

Interim Executive Vice President and Provost Jay Jordan said a variety of organizational adjustments are being made:

- The Office of the Associate Provost will be renamed the Office of the Associate Provost for Accreditation, Outcomes Assessment and Academic Program Review. Associate Provost Roberta Derlin, who previously also served as interim dean of the College of Extended Learning, will now focus her efforts on systemwide responsibilities related to accreditation, outcomes assessment and academic program review.

- College of Arts & Sciences Dean Christa Slaton will assume the role of interim dean of the College of Extended Learning. Donna Alden, who has been serving part-time as the associate dean for the College of Extended Learning, will continue in that role, reporting to Dean Slaton.

- The College of Arts and Sciences will now function as the "gateway" college for students entering the university who have not yet declared a major. Students who wish to pursue a flexible bachelor's degree program, such as a bachelor of individualized studies or bachelor of applied studies, will now be able to do so through the College of Arts and Sciences. This change will give these students expanded access to advisement and counseling.

- Academic professional development units will be reorganized under the Office of Associate Vice President and Deputy Provost Greg Fant. This will include programs such as the Teaching Academy, the Instructional Innovation and Quality program and programs that assist faculty in teaching Distance Education courses.

- Several minor changes also are being made, such as moving the Distance Education course entry responsibility to the Registrar's Office; transferring administration of the Albuquerque Center to Student Affairs due to its primary role as a student services center; shifting Academic Budget Management operations to the Division of Administration and Finance; and transferring International Student and Scholar Services from Student Affairs to International Programs.

Jordan said a primary goal in making the changes is to ensure the best possible arrangement of administrative functions when it comes to serving student needs.

"Our top priority is making sure that students come first," Jordan said. "I am confident these changes will best reflect that goal. We will work with dispatch in implementing all these changes this semester."