Change of president prompts other staff changes

Rhine’s previous position, vice president for enrollment management and student services, had evolved to manage a wide variety of departments at CSC. One of Rhine’s first actions as interim president was appointing employees to new duties to continue CSC’s commitment to serving students.

The changes include the hiring of two current CSC employees to be interim executive directors during Rhine’s term, which runs to April 2013. Their new duties became effective May 14, the same day as Rhine’s.

Sherry Douglas, formerly the director of financial aid, is still overseeing that operation as well as a variety of other student services, including admissions, the Start office and records. Her title is interim executive director of student services.

Aaron Prestwich, who has served as director of CSC Student Support Services since June 2009, has become the new interim executive director of student life. He now supervises housing, health services, activities, Project Strive, tutoring, the Nelson Physical Activities Center and student conduct.

“Because of the number departments involved, I knew it wouldn’t be feasible to continue direct supervision of each unit,” Rhine said. “CSC has outstanding employees in these departments, and these personnel changes will ensure that we don’t miss a beat when it comes to serving students.”

Rhine said the institution will continue using and improving a student services model that he spearheaded last summer. The result of that reorganization was four teams comprised of individuals from a cross-section of student-service-focused operations who meet regularly to tackle the myriad of issues facing CSC’s student services operations. In order to fine-tune the operation, many employees have switched offices in Crites Hall this summer – including a location swap between the Business Office and Start Office.

One new employee has been hired as a result of the changes. Jennifer Schaer, who served as the athletic director of Red Cloud Indian School at Pine Ridge, S.D., for 12 years, assumes many of Prestwich’s past duties as the interim director of Student Support Services. She has both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from CSC.

Four CSC employees moved into new job titles and duties:

Melissa Mitchell, who has served as student records technical support analyst since January 2011 and was the institution’s assistant registrar for 12 years, is the new director of records.

Danielle Hencey, who has been in charge of coordinating student visits since March 2010, has left that position to become one of the institution’s four Start advisors.

Ottley Wright, a past financial aid advisor and faculty member who has been employed at CSC since August 2003, has joined the records team as an academic advisor specializing in transcript evaluations.

Seth Hulquist is continuing work as an admissions representative, which he began in September 2008, and taking on the duties of coordinating student visits.

The two new interim executive directors said they are looking forward to their duties in the coming year.

Douglas has been employed at CSC the longer of the two. She was hired as a financial aid counselor in 1990 and became director of financial aid in 1994. She earned two degrees from CSC, a bachelor’s degree in 1987 and a master’s degree in 1990.

Prestwich, a graduate of Sterling (Colo.) High School, joined the CSC staff in June 2009. He has obtained two degrees from the University of Northern Colorado – a bachelor’s degree in exercise science in 2005 and a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling in 2007. He and his wife, Natalie, are parents to Marcus, 4, and Luke, 2.

A document which includes a Crites Hall map, a student services directory of contacts organized by function, and employee flow charts for student affairs and services, is available at this link.

People with other questions about the changes may contact Kathy Mason, office assistant for student services, at kmason@csc.edu or 308-432-6231.