Although the head of Career Services is leaving the College in August and one of its other top administrators is on medical leave, officials say the office remains well equipped to serve the needs of Dartmouth students.
Career Services Director William Wright-Swadel will leave Dartmouth in August to become director of Career Services at Harvard University and Assistant Career Services Director Susan Wright has been on a leave of absence this term while undergoing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer.
Wright handles graduate student advising and Wright-Swadel said Career Services has continued to run graduate advising programs during Wright's absence, but has not hired an interim replacement for her.
"We've been using other staff in the office and a number of faculty members have been providing coverage," he said.
Wright's husband, Acting College President James Wright, acknowledged his wife's treatment has been difficult, but said she is doing well enough to return to the College next term.
"She will be back this summer," Wright said. According to Wright, his wife "has tried to be involved" with the current operations of Career Services but has not been physically able to fully meet the demands of her job.
"She has been in touch with some students over BlitzMail and has tried to come in" to the office, Wright said.
Wright-Swadel said concerns that the office will suffer because of his departure are also "not accurate at all."
"Anytime you have a transition there are always concerns on the part of staff, administrators and students," he said. "The office is in good hands and will continue to participate in creating opportunities and focusing on providing good services to students."
Wright-Swadel said he has not heard of any complaints from students about a lack of services but said he would like to know if students are dissatisfied.
Career Services is responsible for handling leave-term employment and internship opportunities, post-graduation plans, scholarship and fellowship applications and senior on-campus recruiting.
About 550 seniors registered for on-campus recruiting this year and about 25 percent of this year's class will attend graduate school immediately after graduation, according to Wright-Swadel.
Wright-Swadel said Career Services is well-equipped to handle students' needs with a staff of nine full-time workers and one part-time employee. He said the office also has three administrative interns and one part-time, work-study student.
"It is hard to imagine any student not coming into contact with Career Services at some point," he said.
Senior Associate Dean of the College Dan Nelson said Dartmouth will likely appoint an interim director after Wright-Swadel leaves while conducting an ongoing search for a permanent replacement.
"I will be chairing a national search committee to find the best person for the job," Nelson said. "We will take as much time as we need to make a thorough and complete search."
Nelson said he is glad that Wright-Swadel gave the College advance notice of his departure but said the College has not had time to make plans for the search committee.
"We wanted the community to know of the departure as soon as possible -- this isn't something we have been sitting on for weeks," Nelson said. "The next step will be to consider who will be on the search committee and go from there."
Wright-Swadel said he will not be involved in the search process but said he "would certainly be glad to answer questions his colleagues around the country might have about the position."
