Albany State University Interim President Arthur Dunning announced today changes to his executive leadership team.

Dunning announced the appointment of Abiodun Ojemakinde as provost and vice president for academic affairs; Chanta Haywood as vice president for institutional advancement; Clifford Porter as executive assistant to the president for government and community relations; and, Cynthia Hoke as senior advisor and special assistant to the president.  Ms. Hoke will serve a one year appointment.

“After a national search for provost, the search committee realized the most qualified candidate was already in the position,” said Dunning. Ojemakinde has served as interim provost since August 2014. “He has proven to be committed to Albany State University (ASU) and possesses the requisite leadership skills and professionalism to advance the academic priorities of our institution.

“I appreciate Dr. Ojemakinde’s willingness and ability to work with faculty, senior administrators and the entire university community to raise the academic reputation of Albany State University. I look forward to working with him.”

Ojemakinde, who has spent more than 15 years in senior administrative roles at Albany State, will be the institution’s chief academic officer who is responsible for all aspects of academics including its four colleges -- arts and humanities, business, education and science and health professions. He will also provide leadership for enrollment management, student affairs, institutional research, institutional effectiveness, the registrar’s office, military sciences and the library. Prior to his latest appointment, he has served as dean of the business school and chair of the Business Administration Department at ASU. He also has served as vice president for academic affairs and interim vice president for student affairs at ASU.

Ojemakinde holds a master’s and doctorate in agricultural economics from Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge. He has authored and co-authored several refereed journal articles in economics, and is a professor of economics and quantitative business analysis.

Haywood has served for a year as interim vice president for institutional advancement and executive director of the ASU Foundation.

“During that time, Dr. Haywood has conducted assessments of the units in advancement and restructured the unit to meet the ‘friend-raising’ and fund-raising priorities of the university,” Dunning said. “Under Dr. Haywood’s leadership, ASU has realized a 45-percent increase in the number of alumni donors. 

“She also has been responsible for coordinating several major events that have resulted in increased financial support of the university,” Dunning said “I am confident that under her leadership, we will increase fundraising -- particularly for student scholarships -- and ensure that our alumni and supporters are more engaged in what we are trying to achieve.”

Haywood, who holds a doctorate in American literature from the University of California, San Diego, will be responsible for Albany State’s advancement efforts, which include development, alumni relations, career services, and marketing and communications. She also will continue to serve as the executive director of the ASU Foundation. 

Haywood has published an academic book and several refereed articles.  She has more than 20 years of higher-education administration and academic experience at Albany State, North Carolina Central University (Durham), Florida A&M University and Florida State University (both in Tallahassee). She has served as a vice president, associate vice chancellor, professor and graduate dean. She has also secured and managed millions of dollars in federal funding, which led to an appointment by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Haywood holds an undergraduate degree in English from Florida A&M.

Porter, an Albany State University alumnus, has served in several capacities at the university, including vice president for institutional advancement. He will be responsible for community and government relations. In his new position, he will meet with government officials in Albany, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. to provide leadership on the university’s legislative priorities, while building and improving relationships with those leaders.

Additionally, Porter will work with business and community leaders in Southwest Georgia to form partnerships, promote service learning and identify university resources for collaborative efforts designed to improve lives in the region and beyond.  Porter holds the juris doctorate from Nova Southeastern University-Shepard Broad Law Center and an undergraduate degree in business administration from Albany State. He also has worked as director of governmental affairs for the Albany Chamber of Commerce and as a community coordinator for U.S. Congressman Sanford Bishop, D-GA.

Cynthia Hoke, who earned a Master of Public Administration degree from ASU and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Georgia State University, will serve as the senior advisor to the president on various higher education issues, budget matters, and items directly impacting the goals and priorities of the institution.

“I look forward to Ms. Hoke joining our team,” Dunning said. “She has more than 17 years of experience in higher education, most recently, at the University of Georgia. She will be working with us for a year to help assess and map our strategic direction, and develop policies and protocols to help us function more efficiently. I appreciate University of Georgia President Jere Morehead’s support of my request to have Ms. Hoke work with us.”

She will be responsible for leading the effort to advance the president’s agenda, and will oversee daily and long-term activities of the president’s office. Hoke will also serve as the liaison between the president’s office and other units of the university, and will work with the president to further engage the university’s various stakeholders. 

Hoke, whose career includes leadership roles in communications, broadcasting and public relations, has spent 11 years as director of news service at the University of Georgia (Athens). Prior to that, she served in a communications role and as a special assistant to a former president at Albany State University.