The School of University Studies at Southeast Missouri State University experienced leadership and academic changes.

Dr. Frank Barrios now serves as the dean of the School of University Studies in addition to his duties as the dean of the College of Liberal Arts. The former dean of the School of University Studies, Dr. David Starrett, is now the director of Kent Library and the dean of Academic Information Services.

Barrios said the School of University Studies is not becoming a part of the College of Liberal Arts.

"The only thing they have in common is that they end up in my office," Barrios said.

"It retains its own independent status," Barrios said. "It's just that I'm the person at the top in both."

There were nine vacant positions in the School of University Studies. Two were filled over the summer.

Fran Scholl was appointed as the senior administrative assistant for the School of University Studies, a new position. Another newly created position is a full-time dedicated professor for UI 100, the first-year seminar class every student is required to take. The professor is Theresa Haug-Belvin.

The rest of the positions are still open and a search continues to fill these positions in the School of University Studies.

A faculty member will fill the position of the director of the School of University Studies part-time.

"The reason why it's a new position is because previously the School of University Studies had a full-time dean, and I continue to be dean of the College of Liberal Arts, which is a full-time job, so I need someone to help run some of those committees and to do some of the work that was being done previously by another dean," Barrios said.

The director for the Academic and Career Advising will be filled externally, which means that a search is taking place for someone who is not a current faculty member.

Other positions are the director of the Center for Writing Excellence and its writing lab, the coordinator for the Writing Lab, the coordinator of advising and two career advisers. These positions will be filled by current faculty members.

The Center for Writing Excellence and the Writing Lab, Testing Services and the Center for Academic and Career Advising are other additions.

The Center for Writing Excellence includes the writing lab and the online writing lab, where students can submit papers. The Center for Writing Excellence includes the writing assessment, where students take the writing proficiency exams, and the Writing in the Disciplines program, which assists faculty who teach writing courses.

Testing Services handles testing on campus, including special accomendations testing, state and national testing programs and placement testing for students.

The Center for Academic and Career Advising is newly formed. It includes a combination of the Collaborative Academic Advising Center and Career Linkages. The Collaborative Academic Advising Center will provide students in the School of University Studies, the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Health and Human Services with academic and career advising.

Student advising will change because of the formation of the Center for Academic and Career Advising. Advisers will be specialized but will be cross trained to work with students from different colleges. Barrios said if an adviser in a student's specialized field is not available to help that student, someone else can help that student, so it will be more integrated.

Another change is that the honors program moved from the School of University Studies to the College of Science, Technology and Agriculture.

The temporary location of the School of University Studies is in 201 Brandt.