Longtime Wichita State University executive Eric Sexton will assume added duties with broad responsibility for making the campus more welcoming and supportive of students in every aspect of their WSU experience. His new title is vice president for student affairs and executive director of athletics. 

Sexton's appointment was announced Tuesday by President John Bardo and Provost and Senior Vice President Tony Vizzini. He will succeed Wade Robinson as vice president for student affairs. 

Sexton said he is ready to meet the challenge of improving the student experience at WSU. 

"My mother, my father, my wife Kathy and I have all attended WSU, and our lives were changed for the better and forever because of it,” Sexton said. “I’m looking forward to continuing my work with athletics and am energized by this added opportunity to become deeply involved in all facets of student engagement with the university. 

“I’ve loved my seven years as athletic director, and I'm grateful to the coaches, athletes, donors and staff who have made this a fulfilling experience.” 

Bardo said Sexton was a natural choice for the position.

"Eric was born a Shocker,” Bardo said. “He has a passion for our students, deep connections to faculty, staff and alumni and great capacity for listening and learning. Tony Vizzini and I are pleased that Eric has agreed to help lead the implementation of WSU's strategy to improve the quality of student life."

The Division of Student Affairs that Sexton will lead includes responsibility for all student activities, residence halls, the Rhatigan Student Center, campus recreation, Student Health Services, diversity programs, counseling and testing, Child Development Center, dining services and numerous other operations. 

Darron Boatright, who has been senior associate director for external operations since joining WSU in September 2010, is being promoted to a new position, deputy athletic director and chief operating officer. Boatright will have responsibility for the daily business of the department, reporting to Sexton. 

When Sexton graduated from WSU, he took a job selling computers for IBM. Three years later, in 1990, he returned to campus as assistant to President Warren Armstrong, handling government relations. In 1997 he was promoted to executive director of government relations and board of trustees. He was named athletic director in 2008. He has also taught political science courses at WSU. 

Sexton graduated from WSU with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1987 and a Master of Public Administration in 1992. He earned a Ph.D. in political science in 2002 from the University of Kansas. He is the son of Shocker football legend Linwood Sexton and the late Delores Sexton, of rural Halstead.