Bollinger creates 3 VP positions

University President Lee Bollinger announced yesterday he will increase the number of key executive officers at the University by splitting one major position into three vice presidential posts.

Under Bollinger's new plan, the multi-dimensional post of vice president for University relations will be divided into three more focused jobs: government relations, media relations and University secretary.

Bollinger has nominated Associate Vice President for University Relations Cynthia Wilbanks, the University's Lansing lobbyist, to be the first vice president for government relations.

He nominated Lisa Tedesco, associate dean for academic affairs and professor in the School of Dentistry, for the vice president and secretary of the University position.

All nominations are subject to approval by the board later this month.

In the past, the vice president for University relations has overseen many facets of the University, including athletics, media and lobbying, and has served as secretary - the administration's chief liaison to the University Board of Regents.

Bollinger said the logic behind his decision was to allow the individual vice presidents to expand the responsibilities that are unique to their newly created vice presidential offices.

The new officers will report directly to Bollinger, rather than working within the Office of the University Relations, which will be headed by the yet-to-be-nominated vice president for media relations.

The division in responsibilities comes several months after former Vice President for University Relations Walter Harrison, who held the post for nine years, resigned to become president of the University of Hartford.

"I want the people who are doing it to be the vice presidents," Bollinger said.

Wilbanks will lead the University's government programs at the local, state and federal levels.

"She is regarded as one of the most respected representatives in Lansing, if not the most respected," Bollinger said.

For more than three years she has represented and advocated the University's interests to the Michigan state Legislature. Her expertise at the state level, Bollinger said, will allow her to effectively expand her responsibilities.

The creation of the new position, Wilbanks said, is the result of a growing importance to foster the relationship between the University and its constituents.

"I think that the focus of this position really allows you to work from the recognition that this is an important enterprise," she said.

Bollinger said Tedesco not only "a faculty member and a distinguished administrator, but she has all of the personal skills of diplomacy and sensitivity that you need in a role like this."

With the latest change, the position of secretary has gone through a few recent transitions. Less than one year ago, Bollinger folded the responsibilities of secretary into the University Relations post, which was how it existed years ago.

But, "it just won't work," he said. There are "too many jobs and too many roles to fill."

Tedesco said she is pleased about the prospect of working closely with the regents and Bollinger's team of administrators.

"It really has provided a great deal of positive energy for me personally," Tedesco said, emphasizing the importance of having clear communication between the regents and the administration.

Bollinger said he plans to select a vice president for Media Relations later this semester.

Regent Olivia Maynard (D-Goodrich) said she wasn't surprised with Bollinger's move.

This new structure of the administration, Bollinger said, is similar to the way other major universities of similar size operate.

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