Mager Named Ass#t V.P.

ADMISSIONS CHIEF BECOMES ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT

COLUMBUS -- As part of the continuing restructuring of The 
Ohio State University and with an increased emphasis on 
enrollment quality enhancement, James J. Mager of WESTERVILLE, 
director of the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, has been 
asked to assume expanded responsibilities and has been appointed 
as assistant vice president for enrollment management to reflect 
this organizational change.

Richard Sisson, senior vice president for academic affairs 
and provost, nominated Mager for the position, which was approved 
by the University's Board of Trustees Friday (10/6).  The 
appointment was made retroactive to Oct. 1.

The appointment will mean that Mager, who has headed Ohio 
State's admission efforts since 1979, will devote more of his 
time to strategic enrollment planning and student service 
improvements.  He will retain overall responsibility for the 
university's admissions and financial aid efforts but will also 
give substantial leadership to new initiatives in the area of 
recruitment and retention.

"Dr. Mager has done an outstanding job as director of the 
Office of Admission and Financial Aid," Sisson said.  "With 
this appointment, Jim's responsibilities have been significantly 
expanded to include leadership for all aspects of enrollment 
planning and management."

As director, Mager has been responsible for a staff of more 
than 200 employees who handle admissions and financial aid for 
nearly 57,000 students on six campuses.  Under his leadership, 
the offices of Admissions and Student Financial Aid were merged 
in 1993, resulting in an estimated annual savings of $1 million 
through resource sharing.  Turnaround times and errors in 
financial aid were reduced significantly.

"I'm very excited about being able to concentrate my 
efforts on strategic enrollment planning, student service 
improvements and retention studies," Mager said.  "I believe 
that increased focus on these areas will greatly benefit the 
university and especially its students."

Mager, who holds bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees 
in industrial and systems engineering from Ohio State, has wide 
experience and expertise in demographic research related to 
enrollment management, such as market research, admissions 
projections , class profiles and retention research.

"Jim Mager has the ideas and expertise to give inspired 
leadership to enrollment management," said President E. Gordon 
Gee.  "We look forward to builing on the progress we have 
already made."

Mager joined the Ohio State staff in 1971 as a systems 
analyst in the Office of the Registrar and moved to the 
admissions office in 1975 as manager of operations, where he cut 
the average application turnaround time in half.  He was promoted 
to associate director in 1977 and in that capacity led the 
development of a comprehensive admissions system.  In 1979, he 
was named acting director of admissions before being appointed to 
the post permanently in 1980.  He held that post until January 
1993, when his responsibilities were expanded to include 
direction of the university's student financial aid operations.

A 1989 recipient of the university's Distinguished Staff 
Award, he is a member of several professional organizations.  
Since 1979, Mager has been Ohio State's representative to the 
College Board and has been an active member of the Ohio ACT 
Research Committee, serving as its chairperson from 1983-87.  He 
has held several offices, including president, in the Council of 
Admissions Officers for State-Assisted Universities of Ohio.

                            #

Contact: James Mager, (614) 292-3474.


[Submitted by: Von Reid-Vargas (ereid@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu)
               
Fri, 6 Oct 1995 16:38:29 -0400]
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