Thursday, July 5, 2012

Changes over at Admissions

Some big changes going on at Admissions!  Here is an email that was sent out recently (actually IDK if it got sent out yet, found it on LinkedIn):

Dear Campus Community: 

Admissions at St. Mary’s College is in the process of launching an ambitious, national recruitment campaign designed to improve the quantity, quality, and diversity of our applicant pool, which has been shrinking in recent years. 

A bold campaign requires positions that are both thoroughly grounded in traditional best practices in admissions and financial aid and that are creative, innovative, and forward-looking. We’ve combined two traditional assistant director positions to create an Associate Director of Admissions and Financial Aid position. We anticipate the creation of one or two additional new positions that will create vital linkages among admissions, financial aid, and other key constituents. 

In the reorganization, two positions - the Director of Admissions and the office administrator - have been eliminated. Rich Edgar served St. Mary’s College of Maryland for 25 years, and Lisa Crowe gave St. Mary’s an astonishing 37 years. We thank them for their many contributions, and wish them well in future endeavors. 

Sincerely, 

Pat Goldsmith 
Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid

Didn't really know who Rich Edgar was so I used some Investigative Journalism to find out some stuff about him.  His name is 'Rich', which I imagine means that he is an affluent dude.  And his last name is Edgar...is he related to the Baltimore poet?  Maybe he was let go because of this morbid connection?  I found this small photo of the dude:


He is pretty attractive, so I don't think he was let go due to being ugly or anything.  I think I met him once, maybe.  Also he is an ass. coach for soccer.  Other bro that got 'let go' (read: fired?) was Lisa Crowe.  IDK who she is, but she worked here awhile.

So what caused this?  According to the email Admissions is tryna go in a 'new direction'.  Personally I think they should go in One Direction:


Unfunny jokes aside, it seems like they are tryna have a position that combines multiple roles and creates greater 'synergy' between offices.  Which makes sense I guess.

But also this could be another example of 'letting people go due to clashing personalities/visions' via the sacking of Bayless, repositioning of Officer Mary,  and others, which has been going on since Urgo took over.  My guess is a greater emphasis on positioning the school as a 'nice school' and moving away from the image of SMCM being a 'chill hippie school'.  As the institution becomes more expensive it will be vital to make it seem to be 'worth the money', and the easiest way to do that is to make St. Mary's seem like a serious institution.



It's the same thing that has been going on since the 90s.  President Lewis (or at least he was around when it happened) got the school to be an Honor's College, in part to help move away from the notion that St. Mary's was a hippie liberal arts school.  And Maggie did the same thing when she took over, working to rebrand St. Mary's as a fine institution of learning.  And it just continues to the most recent graduation, which banned the distribution of beer to graduates.

So, my guess is that St. Mary's will continue to brand itself more and more as a 'good school'.  And this is just another part of it.

It's no secret that the number of applicants to SMCM has steadily been on the decline.  It's almost as if raising tuition consistently for several years in a row has had a negative effect on how many students apply to and can afford SMCM.

64 comments:

  1. Rich's wife was my P.E. teacher in middle school. He's a great guy, and his kids are really good at soccer. Sad to hear that he's leaving, but I'm sure he'll find something else.

    To the new direction for admissions, though; it sounds good, but hope the college keeps it's mojo. It would be a shame if it became an uptight hoyty toyty type place.

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  2. Perhaps it is a move to alter the SMCM image, but it doesn't really fall in line with some of Urgo's other priorities since stepping in, i.e. opening a campus pub. Like the Obama administration, Urgo hasn't really indicated any clear vision of where he is taking the school. It do think it is very unfortunate and upsetting that the administration is dabbling in social engineering... I think anyone who attends/has attended St. Mary's understands how unique and special its identity is, and it will be a sad day indeed when it's just another prim, priggish school of rich kids and sports players.

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    Replies
    1. As a graduate of 2012, its already there...

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  3. Bring Back Edgar!

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  4. HIS BROTHA A FORMER CONGRESSMAN DOE

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  5. I know Rich Edgar made a lot of parents feel more at ease about letting go of their kids and getting used to college life. He also did the same for public schools in the area that wanted to encourage students to attend St. Mary's. I'm sure he'll be missed

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  6. Too bad you didn't know Rich Edgar--he is really one of the people that made St Mary's great. A truly great guy. By moving toward the middle of the road, St Mary's will lose it's unique identity and will become any other school on a really nice campus--Tremendously disappointed in the new direction. Good luck fundraising from alumni.

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  7. Rich Edgar is a good man and he was great at his job. It is a shame to hear he was let go amidst the reorganization of the admissions department.

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  8. Richard Edgar was one of the reasons I came here!
    I met him at a diversity meeting for "students from diverse backgrounds"
    He was chill.
    He also wrote me a personal note on my acceptance letter.
    So sorry to see him go! ]:

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  9. I can't see anyone doing Rich Edgar's job better than him. He had an attractive persononality and tons of charisma. I am willing to bet a large number of current students and alumni chose St. Mary's over their other options because of Rich Edgar. Part of the school's identity was Rich Edgar and the school has lost someone great and unique. Although I do feel sorry for the St. Mary's community for their loss, I'm very confident that Rich Edgar will move on to receive an even better job somewhere else where his employers will recognize and appreciate his quality. No one else will know how to sell the school better than him. He will certainly be missed by all and this decision makes me question the motives of the new organization and have lost some respect for Joe Urgo.

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  10. I suggest anyone who supports Rich Edgar to write to Pres Urgo and the Board. I believe this was a huge mistake and can be rectified.

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  11. Kyle Freaking McGrathJuly 5, 2012 at 6:51 PM

    ATTN: SMCM staff. How much corporate doublespeak can you fit into the second paragraph of an all-campus Email? Extra points if you can somehow use "traditional" and "forward-looking" to describe the same thing. The winner gets to absorb an office of their choice.

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  12. BRING BACK RICH EDGAR!

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  13. "Honor's college" lol

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  14. I have met no one in my life more suited for head of admissions than Rich Edgar. He is a kind charismatic individual and it has always been a pleasure interacting with him. I have met many people as myself who have said that HE WAS PART OF THE REASON THEY CAME TO SMCM IN THE FIRST PLACE! With all respect to President Urgo and the administration I think they have made a terrible decision.

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  15. Someone start a change.org petition

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    Replies
    1. http://www.change.org/petitions/st-mary-s-college-of-maryland-board-of-trustees-reinstate-rich-edgar-and-lisa-crowe

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  16. He is a terrific person. He was one of the reasons why I attended the school and even gave me a personal tour of the campus on World Carnival Day. Sorry to see him go!

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  17. Dean Bayless wasn't fired because of clashing personalities/visions. I heard a different story from multiple sources but I don't feel comfortable posting it here/not familar enough with the details.

    Also was officer mary forced to switch positions? I thought that too but maybe she just wanted more regular hours or something. Anyone?

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    Replies
    1. I know what you're referring to, and I agree that was the major reason, but it went beyond that to some degree, in my opinion.

      IDK I just like to start rumors/speculate.

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    2. Officer Mary applied for, and received, a position that has more responsibility, better pay, and higher status than her old job. Please, someone, could I be "forced" out like her?

      People should stop wildly speculating about crap they know nothing about, and stop dragging innocent bystanders' names into their gossip-mongering.

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    3. Yeah but it's more fun this way, via LOLs

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    4. Tom you are an asshole

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  18. Terrible decision. No more alumni donations from this Seahawk.

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  19. Rich Edgar was the reason I came to smcm in the first place. He made me feel personally welcomed and remembered and he made my parents feel at ease with the idea of sending their baby off to college. This isn't right.

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  20. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  21. In light of the recent events at UVA (via Board firing the President and then the President being reinstated), I truly believe alumni, faculty and staff have never been in a better position to take back greater control in how their institutions are run. While we're at it, bring back the Sustainability Fellow!

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  22. I hope the press picks up on this. the more pressure, the better.

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  23. It saddens me deeply knowing that I will not be able to interact with Rich Edgar in the fall. He is one that is always there to brighten your day and make you feel like you're right at home. He is major part of our tight-knit community and without him the stitching may fall apart. I don't think the current administration realizes the effect and consequences this will have on all, including themselves.

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  24. I am glad Dean Bayless is gone. I think she was very hurtful to the issues, culture, and common interest of the St. Marys students. I wonder if she was let go for what I am thinking of... I hope so.

    Letting go of Rich Edgar is a huge mistake! He personally wrote me a letter when I was contemplating transferring from one college to St. Marys. He set the tone for the type of community St. Marys has and the type of personalized education you receive at St. Marys.

    I feel sorry for the next SMC generation

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    Replies
    1. I think if you believe Dean Bayless was "hurful to the issues, culture, and common interest of the St. Mary's students," then you may have let yourself be influenced by rumor and by your opinions of her personality/disposition. Dean Bayless was a force for positive change on the St. Mary's campus-- she argued for important student issues, and I'm just glad I've graduated and won't have to experience a St. Mary's without her.

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  25. Please please bring back Edgar and Lisa. Give them a proper send off where they will personally say goodbye to the SMCM community and we can properly thank them for all their hard work. The SMCM community deserve to hear from Edgar.

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  26. If the admin were confident inthis move they would not have done this during peak vacation season, after alumni weekend and fundraising. The dc metro area has massive internet outages still and even with that and many people on vacatioin more than 300 people have signed the petition in less than 24 hours. The Board would be foolish to ignore this. Many of us will vote with our wallets.

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    Replies
    1. Fiscal year. Not everything's a conspiracy.

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    2. Yeah but rumor mill is more fun

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    3. As I said earlier. YOU ARE AN ASSHOLE

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    4. Maybe we should start a rumor about aka: Tom Seahawk. Are you gay or just stupid??

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    5. That isn't a rumor, I am gay and stupid. Also, what the fuck does "gay or just stupid" mean, are you trying to use gay as an insult? Fuck off.

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  27. I did not personally know Rich or Lisa very well; however, like most people Rich was a main factor in my decision to come to St. Mary's and even wrote me a personal note of congratulations on my application. As a recent graduate

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  28. Keep St. Mary's weird!

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  29. Hey ken the baynet is linking to this post of a smcm "student blog"

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  30. Hey ken the baynet is linking to this post of a smcm "student blog"

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  31. I'd like to see LISAS' comment to the blog
    on July 6 2012 2:12am. IF it was eve contrary to other opinions , I'd like to at least hear what she thought about this issue.

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    Replies
    1. It wasn't contrary, she probably just wanted her name disassociated with her comment

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  32. Bye-bye, Zylak...

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  33. Anyone that has attended or been active in the campus community should be able to see the writing on the wall, the school is quickly losing it's "charm" and is well on it's way of becoming just another elitist, "hoity toity" school.

    It's all terribly depressing

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  34. In this economy, anyone losing there job is just a terrible thing. I truely sympathize with all of these comments and wish Lisa and Rich and anyone else that has been let go the best. I would like to add that this is just an example of the way that this college has really took a turn for the worst. There is a lot more going on than most would like to admit. I just wish that one day soon the truth will be known and this sad situation will be put to an end.

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  35. Its funny, they fire a guy like Edgar who is beloved by the campus community, but they keep the entire Res Life staff who was at the helm when two buildings were shut down for mold. Doesn't seem to make any sense.

    Does anyone know why Zylack left?

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    Replies
    1. Forget Res Life, which knew about that mold situation for years - it makes less sense that the guy in charge of cleaning those buildings still has a job (although 3 other people got fired after the first round of mold in the townhouses - all taking the fall for someone else's failure - but no one got fired after the boat left - wonder why?)

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    2. what cleaning got to do with moist, cause that's where the MOLD came from, talking about cleaning the place has some of the best cleaners, that are under paid

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    3. Not talking about the housekeepers - they're awesome - talking about the head of Maintenance, the guy who's supposed to clean up the mold when it gets spotted, as it was for years on end and he never did anything about it. 2 Maintenance guys and the asst. director got fired 2 years ago after the townhouse mold problems, but who got fired after everyone had to move into a boat for a semester? NO ONE. Odd that, don't you think?

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    4. the mold is still there

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  36. This is totally unacceptable. They let the best Director of Financial Aid in Maryland leave and now they let the best Director of Admissions in the State go. If it wasn't for Tim Wolfe and Rich Edgar I would have never attended SMCM. Bring them both back....

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  37. try seeing how the blacks are being treated. at least Rich did speak to us & had respect for us.

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  38. State Senator Roy Dyson is a person who has always been critical of the SMCM administration and would be a good person to speak with about getting the issues going on at SMCM brought up to the state level.

    1-800-492-7122, ext. 3673 (toll free)
    e-mail: roy.dyson@senate.state.md.us
    fax: (410) 841-3928, (301) 858-3928

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    Replies
    1. He just straight hates the school, probably wouldn't be that helpful

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    2. Kyle Freaking McGrathJuly 15, 2012 at 12:34 AM

      Actually, having met Roy Dyson myself, I have to tell you, that's not true. I can't say I agree with all of his positions, or all of his criticisms of the College, but he's more than nice in person and very interesting to talk to.

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  39. Faulkner would have loved the phrase: " stupid is as stupid does." Intelligent people can make stupid mistakes. The real test is what they do next.

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