Anne Arseneau ’89 M.Ed. ’92 will lead the newly dubbed Office of Student Leadership Development, Vice President for Student Affairs Virginia Ambler ’88 Ph.D. ’06 told the College of William and Mary Board of Visitors Committee on Student Affairs Thursday, Feb. 7.
“Anne has worked with student activities since 1997, here at William and Mary for 16 years, and she’s been in national fraternity and sorority advising and leadership,” Ambler said. “She is going to be overseeing all the areas that have been included in student activities, to include formal leadership training, all the clubs and organizations, our student programming board, the student publications area, which is a significant area of responsibility, as well as continuing to work with fraternity and sorority life.”
Additionally, Ambler informed the BOV that the College’s Student Health Center gained another three-year term of accreditation, an accomplishment that less than 10 percent of collegiate health centers can boast.
Ambler also detailed the student affairs budget. State funding provides $2.6 million to student affairs, most of which goes to the Sherman and Gloria H. Cohen Career Center and the Dean of Students. Tuition money contributes to Residence Life, counseling, the Health Center, Campus Recreation and the Sadler and Campus Centers. Residence Life receives the largest chunk of auxiliary funds at $25 million.
Student liaisons T.J. O’Sullivan ’13 and Kylee Ponder ’11 M.Ed. ’13 outlined the structure of the Student Assembly for the BOV and talked about recent activities, including the Road to Richmond, working with the City of Williamsburg on adjusting parking provisions, and informing students of the College’s medical amnesty policies and current mental health issues.
“The issue of mental health is increasing … not just across the nation but primarily around William and Mary given the past couple of years,” O’Sullivan said. “The Department of Health and Safety is working very hard to promote the facilities offered by the counseling center and creating a dialogue around speaking out about health, particularly mental health issues.”
The SA’s next big project is I AM W&M diversity week in April.
“The purpose of I AM W&M week in general is to promote and foster diversity within our campus community,” Ponder said. “That includes racial diversity, diversity of sexual orientation, diversity in religion, all kinds of diversity and really wanting to let William and Mary students know that they each have their own diversity to bring to campus. We’re really excited for that to happen.”