Tolbert Named Assistant Vice President; Brumley, Ramey Assume Additional Responsibilities
Baylor University President Robert B. Sloan Jr. today announced the appointment of Dr. Patricia Tolbert to the newly created position of assistant vice president for academic development.
Tolbert, who will report to Dr. Stan Madden, vice president for university relations, will be responsible for the Baylor Success Center, including academic development services, office of access and learning accommodation, registrar's office and career services.
"We are very excited about Dr. Patricia Tolbert joining our group as we form the Baylor Success Center," Madden said. "This undertaking has the potential to positively impact every student who comes through Baylor's undergraduate system in the years to come. She has had a succession of increasingly responsible and creative positions that have prepared her for this role, and we believe that she and her team will create a success center that will significantly improve each student's chance at success and opportunity for building their future."
Tolbert formerly served as director of student support services at Louisiana State University and has been a faculty member at LSU and Florida State University. At LSU, she was responsible for developing and implementing programs for at-risk students, monitoring retention and coordinating strategic planning for University College. She moved to Waco last year when her husband, Charles, was named chair of Baylor's department of sociology and anthropology, and she taught in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core program during the 2000-2001 academic year.
A 1974 cum laude graduate of Baylor, Tolbert holds an M.S. in education from Baylor and a doctor of education degree from the University of Georgia. She has administered numerous grants and contracts and has written for a variety of educational journals and publications. Tolbert is a current or former member of the Council for Opportunity in Education, the Southwest Association of Student Assistance Programs, the College Reading and Learning Association and the Association on Higher Education and Disability.
Madden also announced changes in two other areas of the University Relations division.
Larry D. Brumley, who has served for the past four years as associate vice president for communications, has been named associate vice president for external relations and has assumed responsibility for church relations, governmental relations and youth programs. He also oversees Baylor's public relations office and KWBU-TV and KWBU-FM.
Diana M. Ramey, who has served for the past year as assistant vice president and director of admission services, has been named assistant vice president for enrollment management and has assumed responsibility for the office of academic scholarships and financial aid, in addition to admission services. Ramey has been an administrator at the university for 19 years.
"The formation of these three sub-divisions within University Relations gives us the opportunity to increasingly find synergy in relating to Baylor constituents, both internally and externally," Madden said. "Larry Brumley has built an effective team in the area of public relations, and I believe the greatest benefit can be derived by having him integrate governmental relations, church relations and Baylor youth programs into a communication and service function that is as strong as any in the country.
"Diana Ramey has worked as a team with Cliff Neel in student financial aid and James Steen in student recruitment, and we have seen remarkable progress in both the quality and control we have of our undergraduate admissions process," Madden said. "I believe that Ms. Ramey will continue this record of excellence with the cooperation of her team."