The College this summer hired David Conner for the position of assistant director for fraternity and sorority programs, a position held last year by Pamela Mirabelli.
Conner will be working closely with the Greek community in his new role.
"Working with individual chapters, councils, student leaders, advisors and alumni, we will together assess current levels of achievement and success while devising methods for continual improvement," Conner said in an e-mail interview.
Conner is a permanent replacement for Mirabelli, who was an interim replacement for John Stout, who was an interim replacement for Tim Wilkinson. Wilkinson left the College just before the 2005-2006 academic year, giving the College little time to search for a replacement.
Among the original requirements for the position was a master's degree in higher education administration. The requirement was reinstated after Mirabelli's departure. The College sought a candidate with this credential after John Stout's departure, but according to Tim Asher, director of Student Activities and Leadership Development, an inadequate number of candidates and a shortage of funds last year forced the College to lower the requirement to a bachelor's degree.
"We were able then, very fortunately, to be able to hire Pam Mirabelli, who, although she did not have a master's (degree) yet, was actually looking to go into studying student affairs and counseling," Asher added.
Conner has been involved with the Greek community since his days as an undergraduate at the University of Delaware. It is his fifth year working with Greek life, having worked previously at the University of Delaware, Saint Joseph's University and Delaware Valley College.
Conner was hired at the beginning of August, after a three-month search that began soon after the Spring semester had ended.
"What I think Dave will bring to the office that neither John Stout nor Pam had is simply that Dave has multiple years of professional experience already advising Greek communities," Asher said. "Dave brings a level of professionalism and experience to the position that the others didn't have, simply because of where he's at in his career."
"I am very pleased with the hiring of Dave Conner," Daniel Gaughan, president of the Inter-Greek Council, said. "He comes with great experience, fresh ideas and a great attitude that will benefit the Greek community here."
Conner also brings a great deal of ambition to his new post.
"I look forward to helping the fraternity and sorority community at (the College) develop to its potential," he said, "thereby creating a new standard and model for other institutions across the country."
