By Melissa Boyd (Whetstone Staff Writer)

 

Due to the resignation of Mary Alice Ozechoski, Colleen Di Raddo will be taking the role of interim dean until a permanent dean of students has been found.

Bryan Zarou, president of Student Government Association (SGA), emailed students a statement regarding Di Raddo.

It read, “As the news from our President is made public, the Student Government Association urges it students to move forward and continue the great work that you all are doing! As new leadership takes charge in our Student Affairs Office the Student Government Association is looking forward to continuing the relationship and working diligently to ensure the mission of the College. The SGA is looking forward to working with Dr. Colleen Di Raddo. SGA will continue business as usual. Please join us on Mondays at Noon in CC206 for our SGA Congress Meetings!”

Due to the passing of her father, Di Raddo was unable to comment by the requested deadline.

However, President William Johnston said he is confident that Di Raddo is an appropriate fit for the position at Wesley.

“Dr. Di Raddo has a wealth of experience in higher education and direct experience in Student Affairs,” he said. “Her past experience includes working in Student Activities and Residence Life.”

He said Di Raddo would continue to support the college mission for the Office of Student Affairs, which states the office will, “Provide all students with a challenging and supportive college community that encourages responsible choices, fosters intellectual growth, and enhances personal development at Wesley and in the world.”

As part of the change, Johnston said the heads of security, counseling and health services will stop reporting to the Dean.  Walt Beaupre, chief of security, will begin reporting to Chief Financial Officer Alan Russell while Director of Counseling Services Ann Rogge and Director of Student Health Services Jill Maser will report to Patricia Dwyer, vice president of academic affairs.

Johnston said the reason for this change is so that Di Raddo can focus more on student life and affairs.

“We do not know if this will be the long time or an interim structure, but those staff members will continue to work very closely with OSA,” he said. “With the leadership of Dr. Di Raddo, the department is working together to ensure that planned activities are implemented. Dr. Di Raddo will make plans for addressing future student activities. It is too early to know how the structure for this area will develop.”

Anthony Armstrong, professor of political science, hopes for additional changes in the Office of Student Life.

“I want to create a student awareness that students have to speak up,” he said. “We need to get students engaged in this and support this.”

After Johnston’s invitation for suggestions of change, Armstrong created a document outlining all of the new changes he hopes to implement, he said. Those changes include more student empowerment on campus, students being aware of how to voice their concerns, complaints and feedback, and to improve the social and cultural life on campus.

Armstrong said he sent the document to Johnston and Dwyer on Sept. 14.

Armstrong wants SGA to make all funding decisions without Student Life interference, wants students to have greater control of their activities and is asking the college to adopt a Declaration of Student Rights.

“Of course, student organization rights must also be clarified so SGA exec boards stay in the bounds of legal limits, fairness, and propriety,” the document reads.

Armstrong said one of the strongest points of the document is for students to know how to voice their concerns or complaints.

“Part of the problem in Student Life is that students seem to be afraid of talking about their complaints,” he said. “This way, students have someone to talk to and then more people will be held accountable for any actions made or complaints made.”

Part of voicing concerns is the utilization of media outlets, such as The Whetstone, WXStream Radio and WCTC television.

“Students shouldn’t be afraid of voicing their opinions,” Armstrong said. “It could be a forum, a debate on our television channel or a guest speaker on the radio. We’re going to create an extra awareness so that students can speak freely without fear.”

Armstrong also wants to elect or appoint an ombudsman, who students could go to with confidential complaints or concerns. The ombudsman would not make decisions about the complaints, but would make a report of each complaint, take out the students’ names and send the reports to Johnston.

“Then Johnston is aware of the issues and can notice if there are patterns,” Armstrong said. “It’s someone safe to talk to and just an extra avenue for students so they can express themselves and feel safe.”

Armstrong said the document was created after the resignations of the previous Student Life employees, so Di Raddo, Dwyer, and Johnston will be the first to potentially implement the changes.

The proposal also calls for more social events on campus. It states, “Students complain that social events such as parties, dances, shows, and even forums have been severely constricted or forbidden during the past few years. We should find ways of dealing with troublemakers without punishing everyone else.”

Armstrong said he believes the campus needs to have more activities to keep students engaged on campus, while being productive and having a good time.

“Rather than placing blame, we want to make change,” he said. “We should encourage students to feel free to make social venues on campus, like dances or fairs. We have to allow socialization because it’s a part of college. It would hopefully change the attitude students have of Wesley.”

Director of Residence Life Kevin Hansbury said that he is excited to work with Di Raddo.

“Dr. Di Raddo and I have a worked and collaborated on a number of projects in the past, and I look forward to working directly for her,” he said. “She brings a wide array of experience to our area. I have a number of new ideas and projects and, with Dr. Di Raddo’s guidance and support, I expect to see these come to fruition.”

Hansbury said that he believes Di Raddo will add a strong leadership to the Student Life Office, adding that his office is helping to support her and the search for a new Director of Student Activities because of Sarah Smith’s resignation.

“Our team members are all pitching in to help,” he said. “We have a very talented staff, including our Resident Directors, who are all stepping up and doing an amazing job. Our staff is all about serving students and working with students to help provide them with fun and meaningful experiences.