Hearit Takes on WMU Enrollment Responsibilities

By Jonathan Kleyer

Dr. Keith Hearit has managed Western Michigan University’s recruiting and enrollment functions on an interim basis for nearly three years. In February, the professor took on the responsibilities on a permanent basis.
Hearit has been appointed as the university’s permanent vice provost for strategic enrollment management, placing him in charge of initiatives central to the university’s recruitment activities.

According to Hearit, in carrying out his responsibilities he will be focusing on four points.

These points are: aligning enrollment goals with academic programs and campus physical capacities and determining the best student-body size at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Continuing to build a student body with an academic profile and broad diversity characteristics reflective of WMU’s status as an international research university. Developing new programs and community college partnerships aimed at establishing dual enrollment and seamless transfer opportunities for prospective undergraduates. And co-chairing a campus-wide strategic enrollment management committee aimed at enhancing retention and recruitment activities for all segments of the university community.

Hearit has served as both dean of the Lee Honors College and interim vice provost for enrollment management since mid-2007. He resigned his post as honors college dean on February 1st to accept the new position and to focus solely on the university’s student recruitment, retention and enrollment initiatives.

Two areas that Hearit supervised as the interim vice provost are also being shifted to facilitate his focus on “immediate strategic opportunities.” The vice provost, for budget and personnel, Dr. Bassam Harik, has been given oversight of the management of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships, as well as the Bronco Express Services Team.
Hearit will continue to oversee admissions operations and the Registrar’s Office.

As for Hearit’s background, prior to service as both dean and interim vice provost, he served as associate dean of the Lee Honor College beginning in 2006. A professor of communication, he has been a WMU faculty member since 1996. Before coming to WMU, he taught at Northern Illinois University, Indiana University at Kokomo and Purdue University. He is an expert in crisis communication and issue management and is the author of a book on corporate response to allegations of wrongdoing.

“This is a wonderfully challenging and interesting role and one that allows me to engage my background in communication, my experience in the classroom and my interest in strategy and planning,” Hearit said. “I love knowing that we’re building strong classes for this University and strong futures for our students.”
Hearit earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Central Michigan University in 1986 and 1988, respectively, and he completed his doctoral degree at Purdue in 1992.

Hearit’s role as Lee Honors College dean, will be filled by Dr. Nicholas Andreadis, who will serve as interim dean while the University conducts an internal search for permanent college leadership. Dr. Donald McCloud, dean of WMU’s Haenicke Institute for Global Education, will lead that search.