Kansas University’s new vice provost for student success has promoted two longtime KU officials to be her assistants.

Marlesa Roney, who started at KU this summer, promoted Richard Morrell, university registrar, and Kathryn Nemeth Tuttle, director of the Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center, as associate vice provosts.

They will replace Linda Mullens and Barbara Ballard, who will take other positions in the Office of Student Success.

“I could not be more pleased with this team’s experience, depth, knowledge and commitment to KU,” Roney said. “It’s really a dream team, in some ways.”

In addition to the promotion of Tuttle and Morrell, Richard Johnson will assume the title of associate vice provost in addition to being dean of students, which he has been since 2001.

Each of the associate vice provosts will oversee particular offices and issues in the Office of Student Success, which was formed last year when seven units joined the division of student affairs:

• Morrell will oversee strategic recruiting and new student orientation, among other issues. He has been at KU since 1989 and has been university registrar since 1989.
• Tuttle, who has been director of the Freshman-Sophomore Advising Center since 1997 and has been at KU since 1987, will oversee retention issues and student services such as Counseling and Psychological Services.

Morrell said the goal was for units under student success to work on issues across departmental boundaries.

“This organizational model is probably what could be described as nontraditional,” he said. “There will be more collaboration across the board.”

Morrell and Tuttle will each make about $90,000 in their new jobs, Roney said. Morrell was previously making $84,555, and Tuttle previously was making $76,445.

• Mullens will become senior budget and personnel administrator, and she will manage budget and personnel matters relating to student success.

Although Ballard currently remains as an associate vice provost, she likely will be moved to another job in the next month, Roney said. She said Ballard’s experience as a state legislator made her a natural for working on government and outreach issues.

“Just because somebody has a different title doesn’t mean they’re being demoted,” Roney said. “We’re trying to make sure the things Barbara is working on are the things she wants to work on. She’s known as a very talented utility player. She works on a lot of different projects.”

In addition to Ballard and Mullens, Jim Carothers recently has served as an interim associate vice provost. Carothers has returned to full-time teaching in the English department.