Changes to the Stetson campus are not limited to residence halls, the Commons and Stetson Food Services. Changes have been made in the organizational structure for several administrative offices, as well.

In the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Provost Beth Paul announced three major changes in personnel. Kathy Leitch has been appointed to the role of executive assistant to the Provost. Her responsibilities include managing the Provost’s calendar and communication, and managing the office workflow. “Kathy has been an asset to this office for two years,” said Paul. “She is to be commended for single-handedly managing the office as it was being reorganized.”

Stetson alumna Robin Carter, who worked for 12 years as administrative assistant to Grady Ballenger, then Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, has returned to Stetson to assume the role of administrative support professional in the Provost’s Office, effective Monday, Aug. 19. For the past two-and-a-half years, Robin served as executive assistant to the DeLand City Manager. She will support key operational functions in the Provost’s office.

With over 20 years of experience in administration, business operations management and analysis, and strategic planning, Rick Tysor will join the Provost’s Office in late September as executive director of Academic Administration. Prior to joining Stetson, Tysor served as the executive director of Duke University’s Office of Interdisciplinary Program Management, and was responsible for administrative oversight and support for Duke’s University/Signature Institutes and Centers and Provostial Initiatives and Programs. Tysor also served as the assistant dean for Business and Finance at University of North Carolina’s School of Public Health, the Assistant Director of the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute’s Center of Marine Biotechnology, in business management positions at Johns Hopkins University and Hospital, and in major industry and charitable organizations. Tysor has a B.A. in economics from Vanderbilt University and an M.S. in business and financial management from Johns Hopkins University. He will work with colleagues in the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, as well as with other academic and university leaders to improve and professionalize the office’s operations, business processes, workflow and communications.

Vice president for Business and CFO Robert Huth announced this week that Melissa Peters is the new associate vice president for Budget. In her new role, Peters will provide leadership in the administration of the university-wide capital and operating budgets and financial modeling. “This is an exciting time for Stetson, given significant growth in undergraduate student enrollment, the preparation for a comprehensive fund-raising campaign, and the development of a management team to move Stetson forward,” said Huth. “The associate vice president for Budget will be an integral part of Stetson’s success.”

Kate Pearce has been promoted to the position of assistant vice president for University Relations, it was announced by Carol Julian, vice president for University Relations. Pearce has been with Stetson University for nearly 24 years, serving in several capacities within the field of University Relations. She started with a position in the office now known as Development Operations, which she says gave her the background needed to branch out in other areas of the field. She has also served in the areas of prospect research, annual and planned giving , and most recently as director of Gift Planning. As assistant vice president she will continue to work with donors interested in making a difference at Stetson through gift planning, and in addition will work closely with the vice president and the major gifts team to help make the comprehensive campaign a success.