Ithaca College

Submitted on behalf of Dr. Roger Richardson.

Prompted by the departure of the Director in October, 2009, the Office of Student Engagement and Multicultural Affair has since undertaken a comprehensive efficiency review coordinated by the Office of Human Resources.   At this time, I wish to announce an administration restructuring of OSEMA that has resulted in a shared leadership approach for the department effective June 1, 2010.

OSEMA will consist of three operational units:

• Student Leadership and Involvement (formerly, Center for Student Leadership and Involvement)
• First-Year Experience (formerly, New Student Programs) and
• Multicultural Affairs (formerly, Office of Multicultural Affairs).

 I am pleased to announce the following new leadership roles for each operational unit:

• Michele Lenhart will assume the role, Director of Student Leadership and Involvement. In this role, Michele will provide leadership and direction in the implementation of programs and activities offered through Student Leadership and Involvement. She will oversee the design, development, and implementation of a comprehensive leadership education, community service, and student organization development program.

• Erica Shockley will assume the role, Director of First-Year Experience. In this role, Erica will provide leadership and direction in the implementation of programs and activities offered through the First-Year Experience Program including the college orientation and continuing orientation programs.

• Malinda Smith will assume the role, Director of Multicultural Affairs.  In this role, Malinda will provide leadership and direction in the development and implementation of programs and services designed to enhance the student personal and social development of multicultural students including the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholar Program and the Ithaca Achievement Program.

The directors will serve as a leadership team for the OSEMA to create a supportive and inclusive environment on campus that complements the academic experience, connects and engages all students with the Ithaca College community, and provides opportunities for on-going personal and professional development. All three directors will directly report to Dr. Roger Richardson, Associate Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs/Dean of the First-Year Experience. 

Through reallocation, two new positions have been established, the position of Leadership and Multicultural Affairs Program Coordinator and the First-Year Experience Program Coordinator.

These two new positions will provide additional staff support to enhance services and programs for students. The recruitment process for these positions will take place soon.

OSEMA is a department within the Division of Student Affairs and Campus Life.