Gianna Hayes
Chief News Editor
In an email sent to student organization leaders on Thursday, Feb. 19, Assistant Director of Student Engagement Sarah Toby announced that she would be leaving the College and taking on a new role at Kenyon College. Toby’s new role at Kenyon will be as director of Student Engagement.
Toby’s final day at Wooster will be Monday, March 2. She invites students to the final event she will be hosting at the Underground on March 2, from 2-4:30 p.m.
In her message, Toby expressed gratitude for the students she had worked with throughout her time here at Wooster. “Working with you student leaders and your organizations has been a rewarding experience here at Wooster and has given me the skills and growth after 7 years which has motivated me to look for new higher-level positions where I can continue toward my career goals,” she wrote. “Your commitment to building community here at Wooster has made such a positive impact on me, and I feel grateful to have been part of your college experience.”
This comes in the wake of 22 layoffs of staff members at the College, and the termination of 12 unfilled positions which were announced and spearheaded by President Anne McCall on Feb. 5. “My hope was to stay at Wooster and move into a more elevated role within Student Engagement, but at this time the growth and retention of staff at COW has not been a priority, and Wooster did not give me a counteroffer to stay,” Toby shared, likely referencing the recent layoffs.
Toby confirmed that her position will not be replaced at this time, so students can assume this will leave Director of Student Engagement Julia Zimmer as the sole overseer of student organizations and greek life on campus. However, Student Engagement is set to join with the Center for Belonging and Intercultural Dialogue, which may result in further changes to programming or administrative duties. Greek life was previously supervised by Assistant Director Gabby Hiller, who announced her resignation in an email to the fraternity and sorority life community on Nov. 20. The College has not announced plans to fill Hiller’s position.
“As we move through this transition, you all will have a lot of questions on what happens next with Student Engagement becoming an office of one,” Toby wrote. “At this time Julia and I have not been given any information to share on what support might be offered to Student Engagement or to students, but we will keep you updated if things do develop.”
