Mary Grace Almandrez will step down from her position as associate vice president for campus life and dean of students, according to an Oct.19 email from Vice President for Campus Life Eric Estes sent to the University’s Division of Campus Life. Her official last day in the office will be Nov. 5, but she is currently out of the office as she transitions, according to Estes’ email.
Almandrez has held multiple roles since she first arrived at the University in 2011. In her role within the Division of Campus Life, she oversaw Student and Employee Accessibility Services, the Office of Residential Life, Student Conduct and Community Standards and Student Support Services. One of the numerous offices Almandrez supervised, ResLife, experienced internal turmoil this fall after the departure of three community directors along with the Associate Director of Programs Kate Tompkins. At the time, Tompkins cited an understaffed and unstable work environment as well as the lack of support from the administration as her reasons for resignation, The Herald previously reported. Almandrez served as the acting senior director of ResLife at the beginning of this semester, The Herald previously reported.
Almandrez initially worked at the Brown Center for Students of Color, where she served as director until 2014. In this position, she reorganized the center’s staffing structure, created new programming and changed the name from the Third World Center. Her work at the BCSC was recognized in 2014 by the University Excellence Award for Managing Excellence, which is given annually to staff members.
Everyone who has worked with “Mary Grace (knows) that she is passionate about students, those both on and beyond our campus,” Estes wrote in an email to University faculty and staff.
A reason for Almandrez’s departure was not provided by press time.
