In a move unrelated to the drop in enrollment at Saint Mary's, director of admissions Mary Pat Nolan has announced that she will leave the College in December, after 21 years in the position.
"It has nothing to do with admissions or the budget," Nolan said. "It's entirely coincidental. I'm getting married, and my new husband lives in Philadelphia so I will be moving to be with him."
College President Carol Mooney said a national search for Nolan's replacement is in the beginning stages, but there is still work to be done before it officially begins.
"We have constituted a search committee and hired a consulting firm that has done a lot of work in filling enrollment management positions," Mooney said. "The search consultant will be on campus next week working with the search committee to craft a position description."
Mooney said the search will begin soon thereafter.
She also stressed the importance of finding a person with experience in student recruitment, including admissions, financial aid, marketing and retention.
"We will be looking for a person who is a leader and who is innovative," Mooney said. "It will also be important for us to find someone with a track record of success in recruiting a diverse student body."
There will be some new responsibilities for whoever is hired.
"It appears likely that our financial aid office will report to the new person," Mooney said. "The experience of other small colleges indicates that having both admissions and financial aid in the same division is very beneficial."
Looking past the downside of Nolan's departure, Mooney said she believes it opens new doors for both Nolan and The College.
"Mary Pat Nolan has provided the College with many years of wonderful service, and we will miss her greatly," Mooney said. "But, this change also provides us with the opportunity to reexamine our structures and the responsibilities associated with student enrollment and see how we might improve them."
