Robert Jones, vice president for campus life and vice provost, recently made two new hires he said will bring in “new attitudes and approaches.”

Jones hired Kathryn Brown as associate vice provost for student affairs and named Sallye McKee associate vice provost for multicultural and academic affairs.

Jones said he was searching for people who had management and leadership skills in each area.

“These departments are recognized around the country as ones with the most innovative approaches,” Jones said. “I think they will bring a new level of innovation.”

Brown said she hopes to create a unified direction for student involvement on campus.

“Our goal here is to make this a very student-friendly campus,” Brown said.

Within the realm of student affairs, Brown said, she hopes students will take advantage of what’s provided.

That means using Coffman Union as a resource when it reopens, beginning in January, with a grand reopening in March.

Brown said her past successes are attributable to a great staff and said she sees her new staff as exemplary.

“In student affairs, we start with a very committed group of professionals who care about students and want to see students succeed,” Brown said.

While Brown is committed to student involvement, McKee said she dedicates her work to student diversification.

“All students feel like they’ve made a choice to reinvent themselves,” McKee said. “I think our office helps meet their needs to do that.”

McKee said her office plans to look at what can be done with curriculum to educate students about multiculturalism.

Since McKee said the best resource for diversity education is traveling, her newest project will work with the Global Studies office. She said she hopes to see more students take advantage of study abroad while it’s attainable.

“This is a great time for us to make a lot of changes,” McKee said. “I’m pretty excited. This is going to be a good time for us to make a difference.”

Courtney Lewis welcomes comments at [email protected]