Baylor's Paul L. Foster Success Center Departments Now Under Academic Affairs Leadership

Follow us on Twitter: @BaylorUMediaCom
Media Contact: Lori Fogleman, (254) 710-6275

Waco, Texas (April 16, 2012)- The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost announced today that Baylor University's Paul L. Foster Success Center (PLFSC) - which encompasses five departments ranging from academic advisement and support to career counseling and career services for Baylor students - has transitioned from Finance and Administration and Enrollment Management to the leadership of Academic Affairs.

Elizabeth Davis, Ph.D., executive vice president and provost, has appointed Sinda K. Vanderpool, Ph.D., assistant vice provost for academic enrollment management, to oversee the Success Center. Vanderpool will lead four of PLFSC's departments, including Academic Advisement, Academic Support Programs, Access and Learning Accommodation, and Career Counseling. Wes Null, Ph.D., vice provost for undergraduate education, will serve as interim director of Career Services, as a national search is conducted for an executive director of career and professional development to lead that unit.

"This transition will more deeply integrate the academic fabric of the university into the Paul L. Foster Success Center structure, which plays such a vital role in students' academic success," Davis said. "I also am truly grateful for the outstanding work of Diana Ramey, our associate vice president for enrollment management, who has worked tirelessly, with many others, to lay the foundation for the Foster Success Center. Diana's outstanding collaborative abilities will continue to be invaluable as we work through this time of transition."

"The high expectations that we have of Baylor students in our rigorous academic programs are combined with excellent support in the context of the Paul L. Foster Success Center," Vanderpool said. "We stand at the crux of the tremendous collaboration between faculty and staff. Together, we create an environment for all of our students that is challenging, invigorating, enriching, and supportive. I am blessed to work with an outstanding team of professionals who commit each day to improving and elevating the experience of all Baylor students."

Vanderpool noted that the Foster Success Center also will emphasize the advancement of an academically-driven New Student Experience program that will enrich the experience of all new students at Baylor. In addition, the Foster Success Center will work intentionally with the university's highest-achieving students to ensure that they are honored and given ample opportunities to excel - matriculation through graduation.

"I am very excited about what these changes mean for Baylor and the students we will serve in the years to come," Null said. "Sinda Vanderpool is perfectly suited for this role, and I look forward to working with her and everyone else in the Paul L. Foster Success Center to achieve the goals embedded in the university's new strategic plan."

For more information about the Paul L. Foster Success Center, visit www.baylor.edu/successcenter.

About Baylor University

Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.