I write to share that Dr. James Orr, vice provost for strategic enrollment management, has accepted a new role as senior vice provost for undergraduate student success at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). His last day at Ohio State will be July 14.
At UNC, James will connect the dots across the student experience, serving as the strategic leader for all undergraduate student needs from enrollment to graduation. Student affairs, enrollment management, undergraduate education and the academic support program for student-athletes will report directly to James.
This is a great opportunity for James as he continues his career as a higher education leader who is passionate about student success and outcomes. Since arriving at the university in 2022, James has been a strong advocate for our students. Among his accomplishments, James and his team in Strategic Enrollment Management successfully enrolled the largest class in our history while also supporting the university in achieving some of its highest retention rates. His commitment to boosting enrollment on our regional campuses resulted in a nearly 20% increase in new first-year students over the last two years, and a 15% increase in paid acceptance fees this year.
James’ focus on expanding access and supporting student success yielded $1.8 million in external funding, including a major donation aimed at increasing college-going rates in rural and Appalachian Ohio, resulting in an increase in paid acceptance fees from those regions. Moreover, the university implemented the unified ScholarshipUniverse platform, which enhanced the visibility of scholarship opportunities for Ohio State students and increased total scholarship awards.
His proudest accomplishment at Ohio State is leading his dedicated colleagues in the Office of Strategic Enrollment Management. Together, these experts have leveraged strategies, technologies and data to enhance the student experience and institutional coordination.
I will be in touch soon to share more about our leadership transition plans in Strategic Enrollment Management. In the meantime, please join me in congratulating James and thanking him for his dedication to Ohio State. I am grateful for his exceptional commitment to Ohio State’s students, and I wish him well as he pursues his next exciting opportunity at UNC.
Ravi V. Bellamkonda
Executive Vice President and Provost