NAU replaces president, drops sports programs

By The Associated Press | Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Previous Page

Share

• del.icio.us
• Digg
• NewsVine
• Fark

Print

Email

RAPID CITY -- National American University in Rapid City has replaced its president and eliminated its remaining athletics programs.

Dennis Townsend has been named interim campus director to replace president Richard Buckles, said NAU spokesperson Tiffany Smith. She added that the leadership change and the program changes had nothing to do with each other.

She said the Rapid City school was not planning to close and that it is being realigned to match efforts made at 16 other NAU campuses around the country.

The NAU Board of Governors, which presides over the campus system, made the decision to change the programs at its annual meeting in late January.

"The board decided the changes at the Rapid City campus will help to support its system-wide focus on its mision and core values of providing quality higher education in a caring and supportive environment," said Ronald Shape, chief operating officer and chief financial officer.

He added that NAU has had a historical on career adult education and "we need to better position the Rapid City campus to serve the needs of adult learners in this community."

A continued decline in high school graduates in the Midwest and an increase in the number of adults turning to higher education played a major role in the board's decision, he said.

The admissions department said there are about 450 students enrolled for the spring semester in Rapid City.

NAU dropped its volleyball and rodeo programs and will not accept any more students in its equine management program. The school eliminated baseball, soccer and softball programs six years ago.

The women's volleyball program has been a successful one, winning national titles in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics level in 2002 and 2006.

Coach Todd Lowery has recruited volleyball players from Brazil.

"For the girls from Brazil it's really tough. I just brought four girls over from Brazil who were starting spring quarter. I can't imagine what it's like for them," he said.