California Baptist University Restructures Leadership Team

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (June 12, 2023) – Starting July 1, 2023, California Baptist University (CBU) is introducing a new team structure that President Ronald L. Ellis says will meet the growing needs of the university. Among the changes are three promotions, three new vice president roles, and a reorganization of four campus departments.

“As CBU continues to grow, it remains a priority to adapt to the changing needs of our student population and put in place a structure that increases efficiency and effectiveness,” said Ellis. “CBU is a university committed to the Great Commission, and these changes ensure this campus delivers on our mission of preparing students to live their purpose.”

Executive Promotions
Three current vice presidents will be elevated to the position of senior vice president.

Dr. Chuck Sands will become the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. He joined CBU in 2010 and was the founding dean of the College of Health Science. Since 2015, he has served as provost and vice president for academic affairs. In addition to the colleges, schools, and departments Sands currently oversees, the new health and diversity initiatives will also now report to him.

Kent Dacus will become senior vice president for enrollment and student services. He is one of the longest serving staff members at the university, having spent 29 years as vice president and another seven years in other roles on campus. Dacus oversees student services, safety services, admissions, and athletics among other departments.

Mark Howe will be elevated to senior vice president for finance and administration after having served as vice president for 22 years. In addition to his role of chief financial officer, Howe manages six departments across campus including facilities, human resources, accounting, financial services, information technology, and conferences and events.

Three New Vice Presidents
For the first time in campus history, CBU will welcome three non-cabinet vice president positions. The new leaders will report quarterly regarding their respective roles to the Executive Council, which consists of the president and executive leadership team.

College of Nursing Dean Dr. Karen Bradley will add to her role the vice president of CBU Health, overseeing various campus-level health initiatives aimed at providing much needed medical care to the Inland Empire region. Bradley will be responsible for managing academic clinical practices, the recently announced CBU mobile health clinics, and the medical branch of the Wellness Center. The Wellness Center’s Counseling Center will continue to be housed within the Enrollment and Student Services Division, whereas the Health Center will now be overseen by Bradley within the Academic Affairs Division. Bradley joined CBU in 2013, serves as president for the California Association of Colleges of Nursing, and is a member of the California Association for Nurse Practitioners.

In addition to serving as the dean of the Robert K. Jabs School of Business, Dr. Tim Gramling will become the new vice president of diversity, reporting to Sands. Gramling joined CBU in 2021 and, since that time, the school has launched the Family Business Center and added the Dr. Paul and Annie Kienel Leadership Institute to its program offerings. Gramling was recognized at a previous institution for his instrumental role in developing a student service center that catered to the needs of students with diverse backgrounds. He is actively involved with enrollment initiatives at the CBU campus and his expertise partnering with community organizations position him well for the new role.

Dr. Micah Parker was named to his new role, vice president for athletics, when the university announced his return to campus in May 2023. Parker, who reports to Dacus, will oversee the Lancers’ 20 intercollegiate sports teams, which now have 415 student athletes. He returned to CBU on May 22 after having previously served as CBU’s athletic director from 2009 to 2020. During Parker’s career, he has been a part of 57 conference titles and numerous national championships as a coach and director of athletics.

Reorganizing Campus Units
In addition to the Health Center moving under Bradley’s leadership, three other departments will shift under the management of different divisions to streamline operations.

Dr. Larry Linamen, vice president for global initiatives, is retiring June 30 after 11 years serving CBU. Moving forward, the admissions function of the global initiatives team will merge with the on-campus and online admissions teams. The move will bring together all admissions functions under a single unit reporting to the assistant vice president for admissions, within the Enrollment and Student Services Division. All other global initiatives personnel, including global partnerships, will report to the associate provost for administration, within the Academic Affairs Division.

The Marketing and Communication Division will expand by adding two new departments, consolidating areas focused on campus branding and external relations. The Campus Store, previously managed by the Finance and Administration Division, and the CBU Career Center, previously housed within the Enrollment and Student Services Division, will transition to the Division of Marketing and Communications under the leadership of Angela Meluski, the vice president for marketing and communication.