By Julia Oller | Echo
Beginning next fall, the Student Development office will undergo a personnel restructuring
to increase efficiency and collaboration between offices.
Student Development will be further divided into two departments-one focusing on student care and the other encompassing student programming. No new funding will be required to make the changes and no additional staff members will be needed.
Steve Morley, currently the dean of residence life and discipleship, will become the dean of students and will oversee student care offices such as counseling, residence life, campus police and the academic enrichment center. Drew Moser, currently the director of the Calling and Career Office (CCO), will transition into the role of dean of experiential learning, where he will oversee the CCO, Office of Intercultural Programs, TSO, Taylor World Outreach and the Honors Guild.
The changes mark an effort to reduce the workload of Skip Trudeau, vice president for Student Development. In the last several years, his areas of oversight have expanded to include athletics and food service. Trudeau directly supervises 10 people at the moment, which will decrease to four people once the reordering takes place.
"Nobody should supervise 10 people," Trudeau said. "That's too many."
In addition to Morley and Moser, several other Student Development employees will also switch roles on staff. Director of Leadership Programs Cathy Weatherspoon will join the CCO as the director of internships and employer relations and assistant CCO director Jess Fankhouser will take Moser's place as the CCO director.
According to Moser, this marks the first time Student Development has been restructured in many years, even though the number of programs and offices has increased.
"I think it's good for Taylor and good for student involvement," he said. "It just brings about greater collaboration among all the departments."
Streamlining the chain of command means that more meetings will be in a common place at a common time, as opposed to scattered throughout departments. Morley said that in addition to improving student care, the changes will also show greater care for Student Development staff.
While certain departments can feel isolated at times, they will now fit under the wings of either student care or experiential learning
"Staff members will . . . feel that much more cared for when they know they are a part of a team," Morley said.
While the restructuring is still in progress, officials said that all pieces will be in place by the end of the summer.
