Following the recent departure of several high-level members of the Dean of the College's Office, acting Dean of the College Sylvia Spears identified the administrators who will be serving in the vacated positions in an interim capacity in an internal letter she provided to The Dartmouth on Thursday. Deborah Tyson, associate dean of residential life and director of residential education, will serve as acting dean of undergraduate students starting Oct. 5, and Sandra Spiegel, director of recruiting and diversity in the office of graduate studies, will serve as acting director of the Office of Pluralism and Leadership starting Nov. 1.
Tyson will fill the role previously held by former Dean of Undergraduate Students Rovana Popoff, who announced her departure in September. Spiegel will assume the post Spears vacated to serve as acting dean of the College after then-Dean of the College Tom Crady's abrupt departure in August.
Both Tyson and Spiegel will likely serve for about two years, coinciding with the end of Spears' tenure as acting dean, Spears said.
"It's long enough they're not place holders," Spears said in an interview with The Dartmouth. "They're going to be charged to do the work."
Tyson could not be reached for comment by press time.
Tyson's prior duties in the Office of Residential Life included managing the Faculty Engagement Initiative, the First-Year Residential Experience and various other housing programs.
Spiegel said she was "psyched" to join OPAL and said that her work will involve supporting leadership development and cross-cultural communication on campus.
Spiegel said she has yet to meet with staff to discuss specific issues, so she could not comment on any potential changes within OPAL.
"I need to learn more about what's going on and what's working and improvements the staff wants to make," Spiegel said. "I wouldn't want to undermine any of the fine work they've already done."
Student Assembly recommended in January that the College reduce funding for OPAL unless the office restructured and improved its efforts to reach out to the entire campus. The Assembly's suggestion followed a student survey conducted after the College announced budget cuts last fall in which many students ranked OPAL as relatively unimportant to their personal College experiences.
Spiegel said she does not yet know how she will improve OPAL's campus image, which she said will be one of her greatest challenges as acting director.
"I think a lot of folks on campus are not aware of how involved [OPAL is]," Spiegel said, explaining that the office works with many student organizations and provides advising services and leadership training.
Spiegel said she did not know the specific details on how OPAL had been affected by the budget cuts.
The letter also announced that Kate Burke, special assistant to Crady, will remain as special assistant to Spears.
Staff writer Emma Fidel contributed to the reporting of this article.
