Welcome from Division of Student Affairs 
by Corday Goddard, assistant dean of student development 

There are many exciting changes in what was called the Division of Student Life, now known as the Division of Student Affairs. The name change was the first of many important developments in Dr. Mary Oling-Sisay’s first year as the vice president for the division.

Shortly after arriving last summer, Dr. Oling-Sisay began the process of reviewing our Office of Campus Safety and determined in fairly short order that contemporary student needs required a more fully professionalized campus safety staff. As we prepare for the start of the 2008-09 academic year, we are pleased to share that a full-time, professional staff will be available on campus 24 hours a day. This is a welcome and necessary change.

As part of a broader reorganization, the departments of Health Services and Counseling have been merged into a new Health and Wellness Services area. With an emphasis on a fully Ph.D.-level counseling staff, this integrated approach will more effectively address the health and emotional needs of our students.

The newly refocused departments of Leadership Development, Service & Engagement (formerly Leadership, Service and Involvement) and Multicultural Student Services (formerly Cultural Diversity) have been clustered together along with the Upward Bound program to create a new Student Development area. This new area is dedicated to the seamless integration of in-class and out-of-class experiences. The intentional connection of students, staff and faculty to one another and to various programs across the college and beyond enhances the quality of life for all our community members.

Finally, the Department of Residential Life was re-established as the Department of Residential Education and Housing. With exciting new leadership and a renewed focus on student learning within the residential experience, this change – coupled with the opening of the college’s first new residential facility in more than a decade in the fall of ’09 – makes this a very exciting time in Residential Education and Housing, and in the Division of Student Affairs.