New vice chancellor to oversee visitor, parent program areas

UW-Madison will realign its Office of Admissions and Visitor and Information Programs (VIP) in anticipation of the campus’s newly appointed vice chancellor for university relations.

Since Feb. 1, the admissions office and VIP have functioned as a single unit under the Division of Enrollment Management (DEM). Beginning Aug. 1, VIP will report to Vince Sweeney, who will serve as the university’s first vice chancellor for university relations. Admissions will remain within the DEM, and will continue to work closely with university relations efforts.

The change reflects the priorities of Chancellor Biddy Martin to reorganize and enhance the university’s external relations functions, says Sweeney.

The new structure will not change the university’s admissions process or availability of campus tours, but will seek to administratively align similar services, says Joanne Berg, vice provost for enrollment management.

Admissions and VIP director Steve Amundson will retain his responsibility in overseeing VIP, the university’s Parent Program, maintaining the off-campus housing service, and campus tours for students, parents and visitors. UW–Madison will launch a national search for an admissions director. Tom Reason, associate director for admissions, will serve as the interim director.

“I appreciate Steve’s leadership during a transitional period,” says Berg. “We have had an opportunity to take a look at ourselves and identify areas for improvement and increase our customer service. We have a solid base from which to work as we recruit nationally for overall admissions leadership.”

During the past decade, UW–Madison has seen record levels of applications, along with academically strong and diverse classes of incoming students.

VIP, formerly known as the Campus Information and Visitor Center, has provided assistance to hundreds of thousands campus visitors, through tours and visits coordinated for prospective students and field-trip participants.

“Parents, families and visitors are extremely important constituents for us,” Sweeney says. “It’s the on-campus, personal experience that often charts the course of the relationship. We want to continue to put our best foot forward in these areas.”

Among his new duties, Sweeney will manage strategic university communications; relationships with government, community and social sectors; and corporate relations and economic development initiatives, along with constituent relations, including parents, visitors, alumni and friends of the university.