Phil Covington, EdD, associate vice chancellor for student success, has announced expanded roles in the division’s leadership team to meet the evolving needs of UNMC students.
Brooke Huntsmann has been promoted to executive director of enrollment services, in addition to her role as university registrar, and Jeff Knapp has been promoted to executive director of student experience, in addition to his role as director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS).
“Our recent restructuring strengthens leadership capacity within Student Success by elevating two experienced, trusted colleagues into broader leadership roles,” Dr. Covington said. “The new enrollment services structure improves responsiveness, accountability, and system optimization while strengthening collaboration across enrollment functions at a critical time for the institution. Rapid growth in accommodations, expanded wellness utilization, and evolving student advocacy demands underscore the need for dedicated leadership for the student experience.”
Enrollment services’ structure supports complex initiatives by aligning the Office of Academic Records, the Office of Financial Aid, the Central Scheduling Office, student immunizations and student success systems (MyRecords and EMS room scheduling) under a single, enrollment‑focused leader. The new structure has been critical in advancing the joint accreditation efforts with UNL.
Under Huntsmann, enrollment services responsibilities include:
- Maintaining the academic calendar and catalog
- Providing cost of attendance information
- Coordinating graduation applications, degree conferral and commencement ceremonies
- Managing student academic records, registration and enrollment, and course scheduling
- Resolving MyRecords access issues
- Fulfilling transcript requests
- Conducting education/degree verifications
- Facilitating financial aid and scholarships
- Scheduling rooms and other spaces for classes, meetings and events
- Managing student immunization requirements
- Supporting institutional compliance and university academic policies
The student experience subdivision integrates wellness, academic support and co‑curricular engagement by combining CAPS, the Accessibility Services Center, the Office of Academic Success, the Center for Healthy Living, the Student Life Involvement and Development Office (SLIDO) and student health insurance under one portfolio.
Under Knapp, student experience responsibilities include the following:
- Coordinating academic success services (peer success leaders and supplemental instruction) and career development and readiness programming known as Career RISE, a new service offered this semester
- Supporting accessibility accommodations
- Coordinating health insurance for students without adequate health insurance
- Providing counseling services, including consultations, 1:1 counseling, crisis response, and first-year student quick checks
- Coordinating support for pregnant and parenting students
- Providing victim/survivor advocacy, programming and support for students
- Supporting campus life activities through student organizations and SLIDO
- Coordinating the SURP program
- Serving the UNMC community and affiliates by building a culture of wellness through recreation, cultivating personal wellbeing, and promoting an active lifestyle
Other staff changes within student experience include the promotion of Tymaree Sing to director of the Office of Academic Success and the addition of Candy Jimenez-Caballero as career/academic success coordinator.
Dr. Covington will retain oversight of the following student success functions:
- Student health clinics for each campus in partnership with Nebraska Medicine or other local providers
- Student housing for the Omaha campus – The UNMC Residences and UNMC Campus Housing are owned by UNMC and professionally managed by Burlington Capital Properties.
- Student conduct and student civil rights matters
- Student-focused communications, including UNMC Vitals
- Student fees coordination
- Student Senate advising
For more information about the division’s services, visit the Student Success website.