Administrators move up at Southeast Missouri State

Bruce Skinner and Kendra Skinner -- no relation -- will be filling new roles this year at Southeast Missouri State University.

Formerly assistant vice president for student success and director of residence life, Bruce Skinner is now assistant vice president for student success and auxiliary services. Kendra Skinner, who was associate director of residence life, has taken on the director's spot.

The positions are the result of a reorganization of existing jobs, resulting in other staff members taking on new or additional roles, Bruce Skinner said.

Bruce Skinner's job now covers much of life outside the classroom, from food and health services to the bookstore, textbook rental and Camp Redhawk for incoming students.

Kendra Skinner sets direction and policy for on-campus housing, supervises residence life staff, coordinates vending services and central office operations, works closely with Chartwells Dining Services, and with students and other university staff members to administer policies and operational procedures.

"I'm very fortunate in [this] position to get to do a variety of things," Bruce Skinner said in a recent interview.

A Southeast graduate who earned a bachelor's degree in political science and economics and a master's in public administration, Bruce Skinner attended law school after college, but realized he wasn't going to become a lawyer. A graduate assistant opportunity opened in 2000 and he worked his way to his current position.

"I found a real passion for working with college students. It's turned out well," he said.

Kendra Skinner has been at Southeast for 10 years.

She earned a bachelor's degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing from Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and a master's in higher education administration from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.

She's been working in residence life since starting at the university, holding two previous positions before becoming director.

Kendra Skinner said she's familiar with some aspects of her job, but will have to learn more about others as they arise.

With the 93,500-square-foot River Campus expansion opening this fall, Kendra Skinner said she expects about 3,200 on-campus residents.

"We only house just over about a third of the undergraduate student population," she said.

If students can meet certain requirements, they are permitted to live off campus. For instance, there is a sophomore exemption where if a student earns 30 credit hours as a first-year student and has a GPA of no less than 3.25, they would be eligible to move off campus as a sophomore. About 100 to 150 students meet those requirements and can move off campus.

Once students have lived on campus for four semesters, however, they are eligible to move off.

For the summer, Bruce Skinner is in the same Towers Complex office as Kendra Skinner, allowing them to consult when needed. But about the time school opens, he'll move to the University Center.

rcampbell@semissourian.com

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