Almost a year later, Longwood’s search for their next dean of admissions continues as the university enters their second admissions cycle to be headed by an interim director and their second round of candidates for the position.
According to Vice President of Strategic Operations Victoria Kindon, the university released the former admissions director because the university saw a “need for new leadership.” Since the position opened, Kindon said a committee was formed to lead the hiring process.
“We’re looking for someone who is a real ambassador for the university and understands what we have to offer, and is a true believer in Longwood,” said Kindon. “They need to be able to be a great manager and (be) very collaborative with a variety of different types of people.”
The dean of admissions creates the department’s strategy for accomplishing the goals of the university’s strategic plan in response to current college admissions trends while managing student and staff needs, explained Kindon.
According to Longwood’s 2025 master plan, Place Matters, Longwood President W. Taylor Reveley IV said in his letter that the university plans on increasing their overall enrollment to approximately 6,000 students. “We envision only modest and manageable growth, mostly through improved retention,” said Reveley in the letter.
Despite the absence of a dean of admissions, Kindon said she felt the university is still on track strategically as Longwood’s in-state and out-of-state applications have “dramatically increased” by creating a more detailed plan for 2016-17’s cycle than they have in the past.
Longwood received 565 more applications this year, while freshman enrollment decreased by 103. Kindon claimed she didn't believe the cycle's results were affected by the open position because the fluctuation occurred late in the process.
The 2016-17 admissions cycle will be led by Financial Aid Director Melissa Shepherd as the next interim dean of admissions. The 2015-16 cycle was led by Dr. Jennifer Green, Longwood’s associate vice president for enrollment management and student success.
Kindon said they decided to appoint another interim dean for the 2016-17 cycle so they wouldn’t feel “rushed to get someone in” to manage the upcoming cycle.
“This allows us to have a director come in and not just have to pick up the cycle because the cycle is already going and they will have the opportunity to seamlessly move in and get familiar with things without having to transition the cycle halfway through from one thing to another,” said Kindon. “One of the things that is hard about hiring an admissions director is the cycle and getting someone in at the right time of the cycle because it is a lot of timing.”
The six-person hiring committee is composed of faculty and staff from various areas on campus, chaired by Green.
Green is joined by Director of Citizen Leadership and Social Justice Education Jonathan Page, Assistant Athletic Director Michelle Shular, Sociology Associate Professor Dr. Jason Milne, Dean of Cormier Honors College Dr. Alix Fink and Assistant Dean of the College of Business & Economics Dr. Charles White.
Over the summer, two of the committee’s strongest candidates from the first round were invited to tour campus, one of the final stages of the interviewing procedure. Kindon said ultimately one decided to accept another job offer, and the other decided to remain at their own institution.
“The other candidates would have been fine, but we don’t want fine,” said Kindon of the options who were interviewed over Skype, but not invited to campus. “They were qualified, but the committee wasn’t particularly excited about anyone.”
She said she believes Longwood presents “lots of opportunity for growth, creativity and professional development,” mentioning the plans for constructing a new admissions building and quality of its students and community.
Kindon added, “We really want someone who wants that, so we’re still seeking the same thing.”
As they enter the second round of candidates, Kindon said the committee hopes to have a good pool this fall. “We’re anxious, but we’re in a good position for this cycle where we don’t have to pull the trigger with someone we’re not pleased with,” she said.
Kindon said it would be “very, very unlikely” for the university to not have a dean of admissions by the 2017-18 admissions cycle.
If the admissions department hires a new dean during the 2016-17 cycle, it will mark at least seven new additions to the admissions team in less than a year. The department hired six admissions counselors over the summer after multiple left the office.
“We have counselors and people who have been in the admissions department for a while,” said Kindon, believing they can provide “the balance of understanding what Longwood is.”
She added, “There have been some other departments around campus who have seen an infusion of new staff, but have been able to balance the old and the new, and I think the admissions staff will be able to do that as well.”
