Director of Student Programs Mary Kay Schneider will leave the University to become the associate dean of students at the University of Florida on April 15. She will be in charge of disability, new student programs, and multicultural and diversity affairs.
The University of Florida announced Schneider’s selection on Feb. 6. The university had been looking to fill this position since last semester, according to an article in The Independent Florida Alligator on Feb. 7.
Schneider worked for Florida from 1991 to 1995 as assistant director of Student Services and as a program adviser at the Reitz Union, a department of a division of Student Affairs, said the article.
The University of Florida received 70 applications for two associate dean positions, according to the article. Schneider was chosen as a finalist for the position by a search committee of students and faculty and later selected by the dean of students Gene Zdziarski.
“I am taking this position because it is a wonderful opportunity; I will have some new types and levels of responsibility, and I am looking forward to being back at a large, state institution,” Schneider said.
Schneider came to Georgetown in January 1999 from the University of Maryland.
“I think she’s leaving because it’s a promotion for her, and it’s a place she worked at before with a positive experience,” said Director of Student Organizations Martha Swanson.
Vice President of Student Affairs Juan Gonzalez has set up a search committee, chaired by Assistant Dean of Student Affairs Jeanne Lord and Executive Director of the MBNA Career Education Center Sylvia Robinson.
According to Robinson, Gonzalez is still identifying students to serve on the committee which will meet to review candidates.
An ad detailing the responsibilities of the Director of Student Programs was posted on Feb. 14 in The Chronicle for Higher Education. “Responsibilities include: representing student co-curricular involvement as an institutional priority in a variety of contexts … The Director manages eight full-time and 15 part-time staff members who provide advising, program development and administrative support to over 140 student organizations,” the ad said.
The deadline for applications is March 29, according to the ad.
“I expect that the timetable for the search will mean that we will present the names of finalists to Dr. Gonzalez in late April or early May,” Robinson said.
Robinson said that she expects Gonzalez will make the final decision after the committee presents him with several finalists.
