|
Southeastern announces raises for faculty, staff
Southeastern will provide merit raises for its faculty and staff for the first time
since the 2009-10 state fiscal year, university President John L. Crain said Friday
(Aug. 11).
In a state-of-the-university address at its annual faculty-staff convocation,
Crain said approximately $3 million in the current budget will be allocated to fund
the raise plan, which applies to all full-time faculty and staff employed as of June
30. The total raise pool will be approximately 5.25 percent of the current salary
base. Individual faculty and unclassified staff raises may be more or less than this
amount as recommended by the supervisor, and will vary based on the amount of the
departmental raise pool, each employee’s prior years’ merit evaluations, and other
relevant factors.
Southeastern has approximately 1,100 faculty and staff.
“While the overarching goal of the raise plan is to be as fair and equitable
as possible, attempting to compensate for multiple years of foregone merit raises
is necessarily complicated and difficult, given our finite resources,” he said.
Classified staff at Southeastern will receive raises in accordance with Louisiana
Civil Service rules. In addition to the general increase for classified staff approved
as part of the recent legislative session, we will elect to implement some of the
merit step increases that were foregone as a result of prior layoff avoidance plans,
such that the overall average pay raise rate for classified staff is approximately
equivalent to the average pay raise rate for unclassified employees.
Crain said all raise recommendations will be reviewed by the administration prior
to submission to the Board of Supervisors for final approval. Once approved, the raises
will be effective retroactively to July 1.
He said the faculty and staff are among Southeastern’s greatest assets, and the
raises reflect an investment in the continued success of the institution.
“I wish the raise amounts were greater, given the long dry spell without pay
raises,” he added. “However, I am very happy to be communicating with the campus community
about pay raises rather than budget cuts as so often has been the case in recent years.”
|
|
Southeastern website gets refresh
 Over the summer, the university’s southeastern.edu website launched a new look with
two important focuses: student recruitment and responsive design.
The homepage and many of the main pages, including Admissions, Academics, Campus
Life, About and News, now feature new looks, layout and content with improved mobile
responsiveness on any size device. The main homepage focuses on showcasing our campus
culture of excellence and caring to future Lions.
Currents students, faculty and staff have a new home on our updated site: My
Den, featuring quick links to everything you need in one place - plus campus news,
events and announcements.
To learn more about the changes to our website, visit southeastern.edu/newlook.
|
|
New admissions director appointed
 Anthony Ranatza of Hammond, a graduate of Southeastern, has been appointed the university’s
new director of admissions.
In his position, he oversees the university’s recruiting and orientation programs
for new students, enrollment services and processing of admissions.
He previously served as assistant director of programs and campus tours in the
Office of Enrollment Management at LSU in Baton Rouge, where he was responsible for
student recruitment and managed more than 25,000 visitors to the campus annually.
From 2011 to 2012, he was admissions manager at Strayer University in Metairie.
A 2002 graduate of Southeastern with a bachelor’s degree in communication, Ranatza
began his career in Southeastern’s Office of Admissions in 2003 as a transfer recruiter
and admissions counselor. He later held positions as coordinator of recruiting services
and coordinator of orientation and special events. He was appointed Southeastern’s
assistant director of admissions in 2007.
He is a graduate of Strayer University with a master of business administration
degree and a member of several organizations, including the National Association for
College Admission Counseling, Collegiate Information and Visitor Services Association,
and Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity.
|
|
Community Music School registration now open
Southeastern’s Community Music School (CMS) is accepting registrations for its 2017
session, which begins on Aug. 28.
Registration has already begun and will remain open throughout the semester,
however registrations received after Aug. 21 will incur a $20 late fee.
The 13-week fall semester will offer private lessons on various instruments and
voice to students of all ages. In addition, violin, viola and cello students who have
one year of previous experience may participate in the five-week orchestra session.
Opportunities for music theory classes and ensemble formation are also available upon
request.
“We are excited about the upcoming semester and working with our talented students,”
said CMS Director Jivka Duke. “We look forward to putting on music performances at
different venues throughout the community, such as the Jolly Jingles Market, the Hammond
Farmers Market, at Live Oak Village and many others.”
Duke said the generous sponsorship of First Guaranty Bank will allow the CMS
to once again offer discounted tuition to students who were on reduced or free lunch
at their schools during the 2016-2017 academic year.
For more information about CMS programs and general registration, call 549-5502,
or visit the CMS website at www.southeastern.edu/cms.
|
|
|
Faculty, staff honored for years of service
Faculty and staff were honored at the annual convocation Friday for their years of
service to the university. Faculty and staff who have worked at the university for
25, 30, 35, 40, and 50 years were honored.
 50 Years of Service
Al Dranguet, left, was honored for 50 years of service to the university. Congratulating
him is President Crain.
40 Years of Service
Those honored for 40 years of service included Roy Blackwood, Phyllis King, Edward
Nelson, Dean Morgan and Joan Penton.
35 Years of Service
Those honored for 35 years of service included Mark Bickford, Deborah Dardis, Tena
Golding, Joseph Mirando, and Stephen Suber.
30 Years of Service
Those honored for 30 years of service included Roy Bonnette, Dane Bounds, Michael
Corbello, Thomas Fick, Joel Fredell, Karen Hill, Yu Hsing, Kris Jones, Cindy LeBlanc
and James McHodgkins.
25 Years of Service
Those honored for 25 years of service included Jack Bedell, Janie Branham, Paula Currie,
Wanda Evans, Joan Faust, Karen Fontenot, Rose Galofaro, Susan Holden, Shirley James,
Rebecca Johnson, Patrick Kerber, Dawson Kinchen, Linda Lee, Sherry Lemay, Shikang
Li, Angelique McIntyre, Bonnie Meeker, Dennis Merino, Paige Moody, Janet Rester, Steven
Rushing, John Szeto, Michael Taylor, Yakov Voldman, Carolyn Williams, and David Wyld.
|
|
Sponsored Research and Programs to host new faculty open house
The Office of Sponsored Research and Programs will host an open house on Tuesday,
August 15, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 212 East Strawberry Stadium.
Meet the staff, other faculty and learn how to get involved in research, creative
and scholarly activities at Southeastern. Register for door prizes.
For more information, contact us at 549-5312 or via email at osrc@southeastern.edu.
|
|
Southeastern appoints Phillips Dean of College of Business
 Antoinette “Toni” Phillips, a member of the Southeastern faculty since 1990, has been
named dean of the College of Business.
Her appointment is pending approval by the University of Louisiana System Board
of Supervisors.
“We are pleased to have someone the caliber of Dr. Phillips leading our College
of Business,” said Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Tena L.
Golding. “In her tenure with the college, as a department head, assistant dean and
interim dean, she has earned the respect of the administration, faculty, staff and
students for her guidance and leadership.”
A professor of management, Phillips has served as interim dean of the college
since 2014. Under her guidance, the MBA program underwent changes in curriculum, resulting
in a steady increase in enrollment; the college expanded outreach activities and enhanced
incorporation of real-world opportunities into classes; helped in the development
of Panama Bilingue, a program that trains Panamanian teachers in bilingual education;
and supervised a refurbishment of the school’s lobby and the installation of a new,
privately-funded marketing/analytics lab.
Phillips served as assistant dean of the college from 2013 to 2014 and as interim
head of the Department of Management and Business Administration. She was appointed
a professor in 2000. She is the author or co-author of numerous publications and a
member of several academic business and management associations.
The Southeastern College of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance
Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the world’s largest business education alliance.
More than 1,800 students are enrolled in six undergraduate degree programs, an MBA
program and an Executive MBA program.
|
|
Gonzalez-Perez donates diary
Professor Margaret Gonzalez-Perez (right) of the History and Political Science Department
donated the World War II diary of a Navy Gunner’s Mate to the National WWII Museum.
Curator Kimberly Guise was pleased to accept the diary which recounts battles in every
theater of the war, including the sailor’s experiences at Guadalcanal and Midway.
|
|
Move-in Mane-ia
 Jacob Summerville, second from left, of Baton Rouge gets some help from his family
as he moves into his residence hall at Southeastern on Sunday (Aug. 13) during Move-in
Mane-ia as part of Welcome Week. Pictured, from left, are his mother Lisa Summerville,
sister Sarah, and dad Ernie. Jacob is a freshman planning to major in biology. For
more information on Welcome Week, click here.
|
|
