What’s Next for Student Life

As many on campus have heard, on Oct. 30, Dr. MeShonya Wren-Coleman resigned from her role as Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students effective immediately. This shocked the campus and left many with questions. The main one is: What’s next for student life?

There are uncertainties that come along with this transition in student life. Larry Rice, the director of Residential Life and Student Engagement, says, “Nothing is changing until Spring. Her position will remain unopened at this point in time.”

Some of Wren-Coleman’s responsibilities included serving as Vice President of Student Life, Dean of Students, advising the Student Activities Counsel (SAC) and Diversity Council (DivCo) and overseeing orientation week. Vice President for Enrollment Management, Heidi Hoskinson, is said to help oversee some of Wren-Coleman’s responsibilities along with Rice. There is currently discussion about how much she will be taking over and what that will look like, with more information and decisions coming in the spring semester.

Overseeing SAC and DivCo includes overseeing decisions and approving spending for each council. Sophomore SAC President Mara Oswald says, “Our purchase orders had to go through her, but everything else was mostly handled by the students.” For DivCo, the responsibilities were the same. Both of the councils will now report to Rice for spending approvals and other guidance as needed.

Senior DivCo Co-President Kaitlyn Marroquin says, “We had a difficult time at the start of this semester with planning due to some issues behind the scenes.” For big councils like DivCo and SAC, staying on top of planning and budgets is very important. Otherwise, their next event might not happen.

Both SAC and DivCo said they want changes in leadership. Oswald notes, “I would like to see more active engagement. Someone who would hold us accountable for having meetings, and helping guide us through the logistics of event planning.” Accountability and planning are crucial skills for these councils to run smoothly.

DivCo is no different. Marroquin says, “It would be great to see some initiative and support. Someone who is truly invested in our club’s success rather than just filling a required role.”

Both of these clubs are a big part of student life, and without them, campus wouldn’t feel the same. Before hiring the next Vice President of Student Life and Dean of Students, the College has to acknowledge what the students need and want. As Oswald says, students need “Someone who is willing to listen to students, and follow their motivation.”