As Juan Gonzalez awaits the first day of his new job at the University of Texas at Austin, Sally Ramage is busy learning the ropes of the job Gonzalez left behind as vice president of student affairs.
Ramage said she began her role as interim vice president of student affairs on Aug. 5 after ASU President Michael Crow asked her to take the position. She was formerly the associate vice president of student affairs.
In the role, Ramage said she will be expected to focus "on student success, quality of service and student retention and graduation."
"We are focusing on moving forward with the agenda that we set forth and addressing new ones that come forward -- and they always do during the academic year," she said.
Included in the agenda is working with a student committee on the proposed meal plan for students in residential halls, working with student leaders on investments in the university, overseeing the first phase of the McAllister Academic Project and working to deliver programs that support the diversity on campus, she said.
"We are trying to anticipate what our students need and how we can provide better service -- so that may be different strategies for using tuition dollars, for enhancing the environment in residence halls or addressing how we can be supportive of students so they can be successful," she said.
Ramage said that to her knowledge there are no decisions being made right now to find a permanent vice president of student affairs.
"As things unfold, we will look at these issues [of finding a permanent vice president] and what we want to do and what is in the best interest for student affairs," she said.
Lara Harlan, executive assistant to the vice president of student affairs at UTA, said Juan Gonzalez is currently on vacation, but will assume his new position part time on Aug. 29.
"He won't be full-time until Sep. 12, but he expects to end up working full time in the meantime anyway and trying to get settled in," Harlan said.
Reach the reporter at jourdan.rassas@asu.edu.
