Several new administrators were hired by Shippensburg University over the past several months in accordance with President Laurie Carter’s plan to improve current and future university operations.

Last semester, Carter highlighted several of the key changes she planned to make within the administration in an email sent to SU students, including the announcement that Dean of Students David Lovett would be promoted to associate vice president for student success. 

Carter sent another email to students on Jan. 24 that named the administrators who would fill the hole left by Lovett’s promotion, as well as who would assume the new positions created by Carter.

Donta Truss, vice president of enrollment management and student success, was appointed by Carter this month after serving for more than 20 years as an educator and administrator. Most recently, Truss served as the vice president for enrollment management and student retention at Albany State University.

Under Truss’ leadership, Albany State’s enrollment rate for first time, first year students increased by 66 percent, according to Carter’s email.

Daniel Vélez was selected as Carter’s chief of staff after serving in numerous capacities at Buffalo State College, including associate vice president of student success and interim vice president of student affairs.

Carter’s final new appointment was in the university’s admissions department, with the appointment of Maya Mapp as director of admissions. Before her arrival at SU, Mapp served as the associate director of admissions at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU).

Before her own arrival at SU, Carter served as the executive vice president and university counsel at EKU.

Carter’s new appointments are not the only shake-ups within her administration, however. In addition to Lovett’s promotion, Donna Gross will serve as interim dean of students in addition to her responsibilities leading the orientation program. Denise Yarwood, former associate dean of exploratory studies, was promoted to interim dean of academic programs.

The university’s efforts to strengthen its administration, as well as student enrollment rates, are the latest in a campaign started by Carter after she became president at the beginning of the fall semester.

Among these efforts was the “Shipsgiving” campaign, which provided current students with waivers to offer to family and friends that would waive SU’s application fee between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.

Additionally, Carter has hosted numerous student-oriented campaigns in an attempt to acquaint herself with prevalent issues on campus. Her campaign from the fall, “Convos with Carter,” was booked entirely on the day it became available.

In her email, Carter encouraged students to become excited about the changes that will soon be arriving at SU.

“These are exciting and energizing times,” Carter said. “We are moving forward with a sense of urgency so that we can better serve the students who have entrusted their education to us.”

Announcing “Making Waves” as the theme of her April 20 inauguration, Carter said SU’s changes will break down barriers that are preventing the university from reaching its full potential as an educational institution.

“The new course is making waves, and though they sometimes send our Ship ahead awkwardly and uncomfortably, we weather all that is ahead of us because waves carry us places, take us to great heights and are powerful enough to break down barriers,” Carter said.

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