04/25/08

The hiring of a new greek life coordinator will mark Dean of Students Cassy Bailey’s sixth hire since joining the student development staff in November.

“One of my leadership talents is hiring a good person,” she said. “I typically know a good person when I see them.”

Bailey, along with students and faculty, met with candidates this past week in an effort to find someone to fill the void in student development.

Two of the candidates, Brett Bruner and Tiffany Kroeze, both recently made visits to Baker where they attempted to impress both Bailey and members of greek organizations.

“We have two very desirable candidates,” Director of Multicultural Affairs Ron Holden said. “It’s always good to have someone with fresh perspectives.”

Each of the two candidates were selected from an original pool of more than 60 applicants and are currently graduate assistants involved in student life at schools out of state.

Bruner, who is working at the University of Central Missouri, said he enjoyed his visit with Baker, attributing it to the polite and congenial students and faculty he met while here.

“My experience was great,” he said. “Everyone I met with was very kind. The students and faculty truly made my experience at Baker remarkable.”

Kroeze works at Minnesota State at Mankato.

The two applicants were first invited to present a PowerPoint to everyone who was interested. The presentation was delivered as if the candidates were trying to recruit new greeks; they were also given the opportunity to meet and speak with the Baker community and its greek life members in an open house in Harter Union lobby.

Freshman Jaron McCree met and spoke with Kroeze during the open house. “(Kroeze) answered all of my questions and showed she’s a very open-minded person,” he said. “It’s good to sit there and see what she’s about. She showed that what she doesn’t know, she’s willing to learn.”

Bailey said a representative from each greek chapter on campus served on the search committee that narrowed the candidates through 13 phone interviews in the past few weeks.

Senior Brittany Lob has been involved with the process since the beginning and said each of the candidates has something to offer Baker.

“Both candidates have a lot of positive qualities I would see fitting in at Baker University,” she said. “Both gave good presentations and had good feedback from students.”

Lob said she learned a lot about each of the candidates through the interview process.

It is important for students to meet each of the candidates, Bailey said.

“(The candidate) will give (greek life) a single voice to champion the issues,” she said.

Since the resignation of former Greek Life Coordinator Bryan VanOsdale in June 2007, Bailey said three members of student development have been assisting in the greek life program on campus. The hiring of a full-time greek life coordinator will help relieve those individuals as well as Ruth Sarna, director of student health services, Bailey said.

The new coordinator will provide work with alcohol and drug awareness on campus, Bailey said.

“They will address a wide range of issues around wellness,” Bailey said. “Currently, nurse Ruth covers these areas. It would give her assistance and collaboration.”

The chosen candidate should receive an offer from student development by the end of this week or the beginning of next week, Bailey said.

“The search committee provides me their insights and feedback, I read through the evals and listen to general thoughts,” Bailey said. “I will make the final decisions based on the following: feedback, evals, reference calls.”