Student Affairs Office

Student Affairs Office

By Cheyenne Lazarus and Kennard Squirrell (Whetstone Staff Writers)

Many students said they are concerned about the many staff changes in the Student Affairs office.

“It definitely does raise an eyebrow,” senior Cory Brown said. “I’ve been here since 2011 and never saw a steady staff in student affairs at all. I’ve seen a lot of people come and go.”

Some of the people who have left Student Affairs recently include Kevin Hansbury, director of residence life, Sharmon Bailey, a secretary and Jessica Curry-Keith, alcohol coordinator.

“I’m convinced that it’s not the people but the department itself and the things they have to put up with,” Brown said.

Some students said they have no sense of structure or continuity in Student  Life, and communication is minimal.

“I would say that I am more confused than anything,” senior Jasmine White said. “I’ve watched a lot of good people leave the office without notice or explanation. It makes it hard to get to know the staff when it goes through so many changes in such a short time period.”

Jessica Curry-Keith, a recent Wesley graduate who just left as alcohol coordinator, said communication was a major problem.

“Communication between Student Affairs and the students are way different from when I went to school here,” she said. “It was normal to see students walking into Student Affairs to say hi to people working. We [students] were very close to the staff in the office and it’s just not the same.”

Some students said they still have a voice.

“I feel like I can speak my mind,” senior Chea Sloh said. “I have a good relationship with the people working in Student Affairs.”

The resignation of Jessica Curry-Keith, and Sharmon Bailey’s absence have fueled questions.

“I left because I was already unhappy with my job, and I didn’t want my four years of undergrad to be ruined by working here,” Curry-Keith said. “What did it for me was when Miss Sharmon left the school. I was very close with her and she was a mentor to me. She did a lot for the school. She connected with the students. It really hurt me and I knew I couldn’t stay with the Student Affairs office after she left.”

Many students said they miss Bailey.

“We don’t all know why Sharmon Bailey was dismissed or fired from the school,” Brown said. “That’s a question a lot of students want to know. It’s crazy how she goes on a leave from absence due to medical reasons and she comes back and gets settled in, then has to leave the school.”

White said she got to know Bailey on a personal and professional level.

“Miss Sharmon taught me a great deal about what it means to be professional, personable, and wise,” she said. “She taught me skills that helped me land jobs as well as the relationships in the professional world. She was definitely a positive asset to Wesley College. Anytime I walked into the office she was always working on something, never slacking on her job. She was very organized and respected throughout the campus.”