Senior Leadership Team Update, August 2026

August 7, 2026

Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to make you aware of changes in title I am making for some members of CSU’s Senior Leadership Team.  

In recent years, I have adjusted the structure of the Senior Leadership Team to meet the changing needs and priorities of Cleveland State University. Changes to the senior leadership structure have included new reporting lines, the creation of Senior Leadership Groups to increase interdepartmental collaboration, and the inclusion of key faculty and staff leaders whose expertise is critical when addressing challenges and opportunities for CSU.  

Two years ago, I also eliminated the position of Senior Vice President of Business Affairs and re-allocated those responsibilities across four existing leadership positions: the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer, Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Administrative Officer/Chief of Staff. With the elimination of the Senior Vice President position, all four of these individuals reported directly to me as President. This change resulted in an overall reduction of senior-level leadership FTEs and a reduction in related salary expenses.

In the two years since that change, I am very pleased that each of these individuals have excelled in building their leadership capacity, navigating change, building and managing strong teams, containing costs in their divisions and advancing the priorities of Cleveland State United. These priorities include our CSU Compass implementation, substantial renovations to research and instructional spaces across campus, greater focus on employee professional development through our performance management system and increased transparency in the budget development and allocation process.

Now, following completion of their second annual performance review since this organizational change, I am adding the title of Vice President to each of these leaders’ existing titles to convey my confidence in their work and signal to their professional peers regionally and nationally the significant level of administrative responsibility they hold. The following changes are in title only and do not include associated salary adjustments. The title changes will be brought to the Board of Trustees for ratification at an upcoming meeting.

Nicole Addington
Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer

Douglas Dykes, EMBA
Vice President, Human Resources and Chief Human Resources Officer

Patricia L. Franklin, J.D.
Vice President, University Operations

Wesam Helou, DBA
Vice President, Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

For additional clarity on current reporting structures, I encourage you to review the organizational charts we have posted online.

As we advance our mission as Cleveland’s University and our vision as an institution where everyone thrives, I extend my gratitude to all our senior leaders and to each of you for your dedication to our students and the communities we serve.

Warm regards,

Laura Bloomberg, PhD
President