Southern Indiana Business Report
VINCENNES — The Vincennes University Board of Trustees approved faculty and staff promotions and faculty tenure, effective with the 2022-23 fiscal year or 2022-23 academic year contract, when it met on April 20.
VU President Chuck Johnson congratulated the 14 faculty and staff members who were promoted or received tenure during his remarks at the Shake Learning Resource Center Innovation Room. He thanked them for their dedication to the VU mission and the VU community of students, employees, alumni, board of trustees, and the greater public.
The impact of the university’s community services outreach programs was also among the highlights of the meeting. Vice President of Workforce Development and Community Services David Tucker said, “When we talk about community services, this is our primary footprint. It’s pretty extensive. We have six primary areas and additional programs within those areas.”
VU’s Generations Area 13 Agency on Aging & Disability, WorkOne, Adult Basic Education, TRIO Programs, and Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) combined to serve nearly 40,000 individuals of all ages in 21 Indiana counties along with one Illinois county during 2020-21. The board heard from representatives of each program, including Laura Holscher, Rob King, Jamie Gribbins, Lisa Spivey, and Shaun Brames. They detailed the community services offered and how the programs enhance community building.
President Johnson praised the staffs of the community service programs for their efforts. He added, “It is one of the ways VU is recognized in many of the communities around the state. Thank you for your great work and your continuing contributions on behalf of our communities and VU.”
Director of Admissions Ryan Barbauld presented a report on enrollment and recruitment efforts for fall semester 2022. He provided encouraging numbers. He noted that the amount of admitted students at the Vincennes Campus and Jasper Campus has increased compared to the same time in 2021. Barbauld said, “I’m cautiously optimistic we are going to have a really successful fall.”
Johnson updated the board on the international online cohort which was established in October of 2020 to allow students who were unable to travel to the U.S. because of pandemic-related restrictions and other issues to engage with VU by taking online courses. He thanked those who worked to make this new model possible and praised the faculty for their commitment to student success. He also shared the University anticipates several of those students will enroll at the Vincennes Campus for fall semester 2022. He also highlighted the many summer youth programs VU is hosting in the coming months, including Xmester; Techmester; STEM academies, and JAG Summer Academy.
2022-23 promotion and tenure list
INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES
Business and Public Service
- Charles “Tom” Cunningham, Law Enforcement, Associate Professor
- Jaci Lederman, Information Technology, Professor
Curriculum and Instruction
- Jennifer (Kramer) Stafford, Student Success Coordinator, Professional Staff Level II
Health Sciences and Human Performance
- Stephanie Garrett, Practical Nursing, Associate Professor
FINANCIAL SERVICES
University Primary Care Center
- Terri Vieck, Registered Nurse, Professional Staff Level II
VU Bookstores
- Karen Faulkner, Director, Professional Staff Level III
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT/COMMUNITY SERVICES
Generations
- Amy Scott, Care Management Coordinator, Professional Staff Level II
- Alisha Smeltzer-Patton, Options Counselor, Professional Staff Level II
Military Education Program
- Megan Fackenthal, Senior Site Director, Southern California Region Professional Staff Level III
- Glenn Karrmann, Regional Director, Professional Staff Level III
Workforce Development Services
- Roscoe Baugh, Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) Specialist, Professional Staff Level II
- Charles “Clay” Whitaker, Manager, Business & Industry South, Professional Staff Level II
FACULTY WHO RECEIVE TENURE
- Jennifer Hensley, Sociology/Social Work, College of Social Science, Performing Arts, and Communication
- Heidi (Wagoner) Tasa, English, College of Humanities